Tournament Of Heroines
by Korgeta
Summary: Can Starfire really defeat Blackfire and who is the new villian that replaces the master of games by force and can Starfire stand up to defeat him as well? Find out in the final chapter! R
1. Gathering of Heroines

AN: A self idea after seeing the episode; ran out of adding Teen Titan female characters as I know little and added two of the Justice league characters instead; Hawkgirl and wonderwoman. Anyway onwards with this now and please Review!!

Tournament Of Heroines 

"Raven?"

"Yeah?"   
"I don't like the looks of this." Admitted Starfire quietly, they were busy searching for robin, beast boy and cyborg since they just 'vanished' from yesterday only to find themselves in an unexpected act of an act that they would be hurtled across to another place in just a flash. The inner dome with its silver walls seem to give a cold and lonely feel, but the observation was cut short; very short as voices one old and one most unwanting came out.

"Starfire?"

"Terra?"

"Raven!"

"**You**!" Raven's eyes sharped angrily with a gaze to pierce and tear a soul as she flung to meet what the voice hinted at; her old foe, Jinx. Raven's anger cut short Starfire's monologue of joy and definition of promising reunion now that Terra was here, but that was bad enough to raven that the blonde stranger should turn and now with Jinx as well but before action was summoned by either spell or curse Starfire jumped in waving a ceasing truce.

"Friends! Please stop"

""She's not my friend, let alone 'heroine'" Starfire just walked to raven and tried braking down her fierce stare with one of her annoying smiles that were to wide for their own good.

"Come now Raven, let you not get mad, the past is past and all must come to know that a gathering creates many friends; true?"

Raven's eyes now widened in somewhat small surprise, not that it was much surprise she just didn't know how to break the announcement of this new figure of who they knew very well or in star's case, rather she didn't knew.

"I..Best suggest you take back that comment, for now.."

"Raven, why must I..Oh do you not see? We are forming a group, and like we were with robin, beast boy and cyborg we will become truly a great team and get on most certainly well, just as I get on well with robin do you get on well with the man of metal; cyborg!"

"……….." A vein was slowly rising in Raven's forehead a sign of slight embarrassment of emotion and anger, in that Starfire just blurted not just the obvious but the fact that she knew all along which only greatened the temptation to whisper those three ancient words that sealed the doom of any who pushed the line and bringing this issue in front of everyone in public was a good stepping stone for Starfire in facing those three words of her wrath.  And she might have as well if she hadn't seen the person that her friend failed to see almost smirking in amusement over Starfire's mentioning of Robin; of course that was more noticeable than Jinx's snigger at hearing over Cyborg and her, yet Raven stayed deadly silent knowing that to see Starfire lose her cool at the mystery woman at the back was worth seeing and compensation for all of this 'loose talk'

"Erm..Did I cause offend at the small level?" 

"One: I DO NOT, repeat, get on well with Cyborg!..I just tolerate him that's all"

"Oh but that cannot be for I have seen the"-

"Starfire?"  Urged her friend with some impatience from her eyes. "You're forgetting number two and three. Number two; you might want to keep that public opinion of Cyborg quiet…as well as Robin"

"Is it because you fear monumental collapse of one's sanity where he or she will dwell into disarray and instant denial over their former sentence of words? Fear not my friend I have no shame or fear of losing control for no one here cannot be mean for we are in a group and therefore friends!" Raven looked badly in disbelief; she was going to regret saying it but her friend was going to find out anyhow, better she thought by her hand than by Starfire's.

"..Well in that case, if you value that logic..Even if you have forgotten about jinx; than just don't look behind."

"Behind but Raven we are friends for we have gathered in that called a gro..YOU?!" Starfire went alter ego as her eyes burrowed into that illuminating green that swore out vengeance; quite a contrast to her pacifist view two minutes ago.

"Hello little sister" Grinned Blackfire as she was finally exposed; she took amusement out of hiding and eavesdropping, the slightly taller black haired alien humanoid was the elder sister to Starfire; it still amazed her how she could easily enrage her little sister though she was more into settling a score especially how she got literally wrapped up by authorities by her meddling. But she didn't let that show as seeing how Starfire react gave her the greatest smile of satisfaction she had felt for some time.

"Friends with mystery boy eh?"  Slyed the older sister knowing full well she was on about Robin. "Good your friends but I don't think you ever got close to him as I did little sis"

" You have no place here you..you.. **Horesackdeckenshu!**"

"..Well that's a new one" Said Raven dryly with a awkward eyebrow raising in curiosity. Blackfire just smirked at Starfire's wrathful tone.

"Remember sister were in a group right? Groupings make friends right?"

Starfire lost it as she unleashed her furious bolts, flung at great verocity as it struck and scolded the wall behind blakfire with stains of smoulder; Blackfire though just simply glided in air from left to right easily parrying away from the blasts.

"Keep it up sis! And tell me when you finally stopped playing!" Starfire zoomed instead with readying to fight it out.

"Starfire cool it now!" Though amusing it was Raven best thought it wouldn't be wise to battle and get injured in a place that was alien to all, though for a few seconds she forgot about something only to hear its foul voice as a dreadful reminder.

"Oh your one to talk" coyed Jinx "And urgh..You still have that blue cloak of yours? It's about mangy as your room!" Forgetting what she once said Raven instead recurbarted a phrase that unlike her memories was one that never faded as she glared angrily. "Azarath Metrion Zin-"

"And yeah hi to you all" Said Terra sarcastically as everyone was drawing their own battlelines when a booming voice set in; loud yet not angry of the sort, just assertive in regaining order.

"Champions please be calm, I have not sent you here so you can fight at your own accord I have invited you to the tournament; MY tournament. A tournament that shall determine who is the greatest of them all and so please follow the rules that will come.

"Explain" Requested Raven.

"You shall fight a particular oppeont, the winner stays on and the loser goes home; this will continue till two are left to duel it. The winner; champion of heroines will receive a prize. If you feel that your heart is not up to the challenge than merely say so and I shall cast you home." There was silence, which was a good enough answer to the master of games. "Good. Oh and I'll bring in two more since were a bit short for the tournament"

"Is this because you want to enlighten us with the surprise that is the element of mystery?" Blackfire just lowered her head in slight disbelief in having to accept the fact that the backward sentence imbecile of the English language was her sister; hardly the shining star of Tamaria.

"..That" Said the games master "And that the five of you were just simply chaotic as it was; why you couldn't be like the others is something I'm yet to learn"

"Others? You mean that of robin, beast boy and man of metal; the cyborg"

"..Just stick with Cyborg Starfire ok?"Muttered Raven once more. The games master though was impressed and even momentarily looked briefly worried as he sat fiddling with his red gem. He guessed she knew by the teleportaion flash that they were whisked away by the same style of it.

"You are correct; and may I add that Robin was truly a worthy champion"

"Really?" Starfire's eyes seem to sparkle again in admiration over the boy wonder's triumph.

"Oh but what off beast boy?"

"He lost fairly"

"And of Cyborg?"

"Disqualified"

"What?" Raven bursted out in genuine and unexpected shock to the others. "I mean..are you sure, as you could have easily gotten mixed up with say..Robin?"

"Raven!" Bursted out Starfire in a act of defiance, almost shocked in hearing such words. "Perhaps it is you who is mistaken; it is clear Robin won as he is leader and therefore as a leader he is entitled to win because he is a leader and not second rated" Raven took the message wrongly or personally but given her stare a bit of both as she clashed on.

"You saying I hook up with losers?"

"Well no what I was meant to say is erm"

"Enough please!" Pleaded the games master. "The added few I bring in and you will be quiet till I explain it alll to them the rules of it all"

Suddenly the added few; three shines of light and emerged and transformed to people; two were clearly older, late 20's while one was slightly smaller and near 20 but dressed in odd black clothes and a utility belt Starfire noticed with slight canniness to Robin's. Though the weirdest costume was not the winged masked hawkwoman but her older companion a black haired woman dressed in nothing more than a tube top with gold strumming and absurdly short hotpants with blue background and white stars on. They were confused but the master of games went through the rules and reassurance; once that was through he now introduced them to the others they saw before them.

"Now at last I will speak out in great honour of the fine contestants here; first Starfire; A Tamarian girl with bolt powers with flight and admirable strength-"

"Oh did you hear that oh Raven he said I'm admirable!"

"Sounds like robin has got himself a rival.

"Yeah; no wait not so"

**AHEM**

"Sorry" Starfire muttered sheepishly; the master of games continued.

"..Followed by her sister Blackfire, an equal to her, only age and experience differs them from each other…"

"Three months is not much of a differ!" Starfire went silent again this time by the strained glare by the master of games.

"..And Raven; sorcerer's of dark and gothic powers, Terra; She can move the earth beneath by mere thought, such is her gift. Next is Jinx, a young and talented woman skilled in Hexies and the curse of ill fortune, followed by the Thangaloan woman; Hawkgirl, a fierce combatant of the Justice league with her comrade wonder woman; princess of the amazons who skill the art of combat. And finally; Batgirl, a young capefighter who aids both batman and robin against crime.."

"Did you just say robin?"

"Good grief" muttered the master to himself as the naïve one spoke out but went straight to batgirl. "Ah please to see the presence that is acknowledged; my name is star-"

"-fire; yes I know hence all this introduction stuff..Not that it's going to be needed; I mean why know the losers?" Snubbed Batgirl; her height was the same as star but her cape and clothes were incredibly dark, so dark that even raven was almost envy in someone having a more darker cape than hers.

"But still I wanted to speak with one who I am friends and most dearly close with; robin!"

"Well maybe your friends with him but with me he's a whole lot more.." Star's eyes lit up now in semi green, she didn't like her attitude and furthermore didn't like what she meant by that. But once more the master intervened.

"Let us begin shall we? You will all be teleported to different locations for battle; Blackfire will fight Wonderwoman, Starfire Versus Batgirl.."

"Good"  They both said in unexpected and equally disturbing union of speech.

"Hawkgirl fights Terra and Raven against Jinx; any questions? Good. Good luck to all of you"

"Yeah; you especially raven" Sneered Jinx, Raven gave one last glare before everyone vanished in teleportaion to the destined bouts. They were gone and the master slumped in his chair and relaxed; How girls were more chaotic than boys were beyond him especially as in earth where wars and death were caused by men and boys! But still he looked forward to gaining powers out of the losers and finally the winner herself. He smiled weakly to that as finally everything was set and now in motion.

Let the Games Begin.


	2. Chapter II, Round I part I

AN: I have to say that after going on a mass hunt to see other fics different from this in that mine seems to be quite unique from the others which I hope so as well as I have to agree from Instant Coffee's comments that there are a lot that don't seem to live up to it due to rushed work or obvious character bashing (ie: Terra) and no real plot. There is sorta of a plot here as I just don't want to be copying the exact storyline from the TT tournament of Heroes episode and I want to expand on character creating as there will be much drama and adventure than just humour itself.

On Hawkgirl and Wonderwoman; their in as I don't want to add characters nobody has heard off before and these two are heroines with quite a reputation and are quite recognisable..

And also:

Starfire's real name is Koriand'r

Blackfire's real name is Komand'r

Anyway Chapter II, round 1 part 1 is on. (And I'm breaking it up as to follow 8 on one chapter I feel is just painful to the reader and to me as well!) I hope anyway that this will be the first Tournament of Heroine fic with worthy length action in. Ready? Good now let's begin.

Tournament of Heroines

Chapter II, Round I part I

The flash deteriorated into physical form letting the flesh of the first fighters Blackfire and Wonderwoman became reality. The two stood at opposite ends of this unknown Terrain.

Blackfire stood on a stoned tower that sloped on its ends. She looked to see her opponent on smaller broken rocks of ground that acted as a floor above and that sludge around the cracks and the floor of this unnatural creation. From Blackfire's view while standing high and unmoved it looked like it was a sea of moving fire with gassed eruptions of fire. The blast was rarely occasional but each shot was higher then the towering rock itself that Blackfire stood on. One even erupted barely meters from her as it spat outwards to the endless night sky, almost touching the vast small gems of stars; never had such a sight made her so small.

Immediately she looked down to see that Wonderwoman was still there, still standing slightly nervous rightly off the fire but she noticed as well that the flames never did ignite so far in the area where Wonderwoman stood where a split chain of man sized island rocks stood barely above the sea like sand.

"I take it its fine down there?" The Tamaran said Smirking sarcastically.

"More interesting down here don't you think than up their, right?"

The human seemed unfazed by Blackfire somehow; perhaps she felt her opponent was inable of winning, something she would put to rest. Leaping off the towering rock before descending gracefully and slowly in a glided descent with arms folded focusing only a concentrated look on her foe to see if the human had any powers, nothing she felt except for a lasso stored by her left waist.

Once her feet touched the jagged Terrain of one of the man sized rocked mountains did the human greet her but with nothing special about her Blackfire seemed instantly bored by her sight straight away.

"So you can fly as well? Seems Hera has blessed good fortune on you"

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose she would, being that it's me of course"

Not really caring what or who a Hera was Blackfire wanted to get the chit chat out as possible.

"Though why an American like you would say 'hera' a-"

"American? Do not offend me; I am Diana, princess of the amazons, princess to the nation of women and not some princess to some nation of man, remember that; alien"

_Nation of man?! Sister I apologise, I didn't know earth had elected its own imbecile to mock its own language...**Wait!** Did she just call me an alie-**She DID!** How dare she be so vague upon me!!-_

"**Alien?!**"

Somehow the burning sands and fires all seemed to be the now dwarfed background as the two were quickly locked into each other.

_ The battle hadn't even started and I'm already being put down by some mere dressed up sell out girl than a princess! Oh the humility!_

"let me tell you '**_Princess_**' that I'm not some alien I am Komand'r with no title but with a hell of a cooler name than some mere 'Diana'! Its bad enough I'm being shown up by some so called Amazon who's clueless on the similarity of her dress colours and the flag of a certain '_Nation of Man_' especially as you got their stars strapped on your butt! Only one way to sum you up dear, J.O.K.E…**JOKE!!**"

Blackfire wanted to laugh away at the earthling and would have as well if the sight of the woman just leaping at her wasn't so 'phenomenal'. Yet this was no ordinary leap of strength, the jump was constant in its altitude not failing in height but picking up in great speed. In fact her arms pushed out in front of her enraged face with her legs stretched out in the same angle rather than crouching. It was styled in a position of a Javelin as she harpooned herself than it came to conclusion at last to Blackfire.

She wasn't jumping; she was flying: flying to her!

Yet when that realisation came in did another knock straight in her literally as a blow that felt crunching in force smashed into her cheekbones knocking her off the ground totally and into the free air spinning realising that she just got punched in the face by the princess of sell outs and of fashion disasters. Despite hurtling in the air and losing out to first punch, Blackfire already was on a plan of conjuring; a vision in how she would personally deal with this princess personally…

When the lights faded, Terra and Hawkgirl looked round their surroundings it seemed the place was a mixed gift; the pressure of the gravity felt absolutely light to Hawkgirl as her designed wings spread out beautifully in one grateful flap taking her to the sky beyond a matter of fleet in seconds as she slowly allowed herself to land down once more, impressed in the increased movement she was offered. Terra on the other-hand seemed equally impressed with the space and quantity of earth; beautifully brown with a preserved coat of dried soil. It seemed the ideal solitude to her, so far away from troubles and complications of friendship, to her the solitude was becoming her true friend, just as her master said it would be…

* * *

"Hey, Terra is it?"

"Yes?"

Terra turned back to her former startled self to see the woman who was a clear two feet taller then her stand. She appeared tall and strong as her black leggings fitted around her legs tightly with a strong yellow shirt that covered her chest but left the upper shoulders and arms exposed to her Caucasian skin. Yet despite the fact that on her waist was attached a powerful yet decorative malice hr voice was full of kindness and concern as she looked doubtful if the frail looking Terra was indeed ready for battle.

"You sure you're up for this?" Spoke Hawkgirl as her eyes narrowed from her mask that was placed only on her upper face in which the hair stemmed from. Terra just took another look at the woman than to the floor doubting to herself for a minute that could she after all training use her powers without fear than she decided. She turned to Hawkgirl and put on her best smile though with a nervous feel making the smile not entirely convincing that she was prepared to go ahead without fear or pressure but it was enough it seemed to just about convince her opponent.

"Yeah, I'm ready.."

"Good" smiled the older woman. "Because I never hold back, ready than?"

Suddenly everything didn't seem so black and white anymore, despite the age difference the woman vowed to go all out, to pressure her into battle and to force her to go all out. But that was what she was afraid off, embracing her full potential, as doubt started to flow in did the voice of her newfound master reoccur in her thoughts, his words cold and assertive as they went in her head over again trying to destroy her conscience and to embrace the dark side of power without care.

_You are powerful Terra; perhaps the greatest on this earth than any other but you still are a child._

_As long as you live in doubt than you can never be sure, never be free and you will always be afraid. It is they who should be afraid and not to yourself._

_ Make them see this Terra and show your true power or live forever in the shadow of your own missed potential. Embrace your strength Terra; you might as well, after all what choice do you really have? Become the fear that they fear and never: hold back._

The words though cold somehow gave her new strength and determination as she eyed Hawkgirl with eyes that were just as brazen in their boldness as they were compared to Hawkgirl's.

"Let's go" Terra simply said and with a brief nod from her opponent the Hawked lady took her wings into the air as she flew high into the blue heaven of the sky.

She kept flying high up till she halted her flight and turned down to the earth while taking out the malice in her right hand; the stainless metal colour of it crackled on the head point with an energetic force of energy as she flew in from the dive towards Terra…

* * *

_She flew? She hit me? Hit me? Hit **ME**?! _

It was only a few spins in the air that the Tamaran had no control off yet on the third spin did she than tighten up the noose on her free fall and instantly seized her body tight in the air.

Finally coming to a sudden stop as she stood standing in the air, with both fists lowered at the side of her waist pointing outwards with knuckles showing. The pain on her face subsided fast, she was strong but it seemed that Diana had showed all her moves whereas Komand'r was yet to show hers.

"You're strong" Admitted Blackfire but than her eyes powered up as the colour intensified to a powerful deep violet. "But not that strong" Wonderwoman stood speechless and even drifted back at the sight of seeing the unusual transformation and automatically started keeping her distance while raising a guard that Blackfire easily recognized as a crude form of guard that boxer's form.

Litting up an arrogant smirk, she couldn't help but think how easy this will be for her.

She hovered a bit more on her altitude where her position was to a point where she watched over the earthling and than within the Amazon's blink of a eye did Blackfire dive down in a direct flight to her, fists raised for a strike, Wonderwoman barely had time to improve her defence as she tensed her guard with arms pushed out hoping to rebound the attack.

Only in her astonishment did she see the Tamaran rolled forward in her strike and strengthening her spear head position once more only she charged at Wonderwoman now with feet raised as Blackfire's boots simply barged through Wonderwoman's guard and striking directly onto her face with a force more greater than it first seemed making her fall crashing down.

However her athletic body came into use as when she fell she reached out to one of the small rocked floors with her hands and reduced the force of the fall diverting it to the strength of her arms as she flipped into the air and landing perfectly onto another of the many man-sized rocked Islands.

She looked up to see how far she fell so quick from grace only to find the Tamaran flying at her again with great speed as she flew onto one of the small rocks and made astounding leaps, leaping from one to the other covering great distances making the distressed Diana fly backwards trying to stay ahead from the alien that showed remarkable skill that simply broke pass her limitations of flight.

The chase was furious, the violet eyed Tamaran was catching up in great speed with her black hair now jetted back by the opposing air as she sped against it. Diana kept flying back, looking at the corner of her eye to see where she was going before turning to see her foe and notice she was easily gaining distance.

Then she spotted one particular rock large enough it seemed for just about two people to stand on yet it seemed that Blackfire caught that rock as well as her speed greatly increased.

Diana's eyes widened in the shock as the Tamaran was about to reach her in a few seconds with her body already reaching out to strike when at last Diana under luck landed on the intended rock as she sidestepped. Blackfire followed as at this point who was barely inches as she flew recklessly after her only to jump on and unexpectedly stumble across the rock using all her balance and resistance to the halt she applied on to stop her stumbling it. Diana than struck fast with a knee up that chested into Blackfire's yet at the same time Diana felt a arm lash out at her and crashed against two of her own arms that were needed to properly repel the force of the attack. Blackfire shot up and applied several jointed strikes of elbow and arm moves; each one to strike primary at the face of Wonderwoman though Diana was quick just as much in repeating parrying away each force by applying even more greater force than she thought she had to push away the attack.

The two women fought, one older, the other younger. They battled it out parrying and snaking in attacks with various patterns of hand combat and movement of wrist and arm as each time a move was parried or bony skin clashed heavy upon each other on contact. One an art from an ancient Amazon civilisation. The other an art of fighting from a highly advanced and unified alien space race. Both arts clashed on heavily till at last Wonderwoman parried. Her parry with enough strength forced an arm aside exposing the softer tissue of Blackfire's armpit only to greet it a shackling jab with her elbow.

The blow was amazingly strong as Diana took advantage of the pressure point and was ready to knock the barely standing Blackfire off to the sands of defeat below them when while cradling the shoulder Blackfire just looked up at Wonderwoman with eyes in full contact and suddenly the violet colour of the Tamaran's eyes shone more and then a sting was jabbed onto the Amazon's eyes painfully as a flooded beam of purple just struck her face in an instant. Cupping her eyes by her hands, Wonderwoman cried out in pained agony as she retreated in the air trying to shake off the purple light that eclipsed her vision.

Blackfire though while recovering from a surprisingly good jab from the human looked on to see the so called Amazon take full flight to the sky; Blackfire liked what she saw and flew after her, taking her own time, confident of her coming victory…

* * *

Hawkgirl let out a powerful roar in her war cry as she waved her malice down to reach Terra whereas though Terra on the ground tensed; her arms pulsed strongly with the beat of excitement and adeline through her dark clothing as her gloved hands clawed out as with her mind's power pulled out chunks of rock in successful strong tears as the preserved coat of brown soil now just drizzled off the rocks as each one was hauled into the sky. Than Terra's eyes strengthen with control but forcible anger as her eyes shone out in dark amber as with a wave of her hands tossed several bulks of earth to Hawkgirl, just enough to knock out and not to kill despite what the familiar voice was preaching to her; she felt she may be heading the way the voice was telling her to but not today she felt.

Hawkgirl saw the boulders coming to her, remaining unsurprised and determined she evaded one round by flight pushing back against the strengthen pull of its small gravity as all air seem to suck to it given its accelerated velocity given mainly than the gravity here felt much lighter then at earth. She swooped past another this time avoiding it easily when she saw the third one come in at last, directly at her path. Hawkgirl narrowed her eyes at the obstacle; she never ran from challenges and so went straight ahead with her malice charged and with a shrieking yell of fury slammed her weapon on the rock which just tore the boulder in a mix of brown dust and raindrops of stones.

"Whoa..." Terra manage to break her own muted voice after seeing one of her rocks turned to a dust cloud and suddenly felt doubt slowly creeping in that she might lose this challenge. The voice of the past returned as it echoed in her mind once more as the words of her master echoed inside of her.

_Tell me apprentice; are you going to just sit and run or are you going to fight? If you won't than they will, so what will it be Terra?_

"I'll fight" Muttered Terra to herself as she focused more on Hawkgirl and unleashed more tears from the earth. But these were no mere chunks as the earth that was torn out made the earth shake violently as mounds of Terrain by Terra's action erupted with towers of rocked earth shooting up at the winged fighter, each one was a towering pillar of earth that spat out to catch the hawked warrior.

Yet she swooped passed one by one, flying through swiftly while closing in the striking range, Terra then realised how dangerously close Hawkgirl was coming in and how the rocks were still not able to reach her despite her efforts. With alertness in her mind she ripped out a large boulder size of rock from beneath her and used it as her transportation while making it take off to the skies though surfing unsteadily on it. The distance was more comfortable but Hawkgirl was slowly catching up; Terra looked on pondering what to do.

_She's too fast, no matter what comes she avoids, come on Terra think, think! _

The dark wisdom of her master came back to haunt her mind's options.

_Become the fear that they fear and never: hold back _

Was that her choice? To embrace her fear of the absolute power she had and turned it onto them, what about Hawkgirl, would she survive her force of power? Would she survive herself in fact? Those questions burned in her yet the teachings of her master kept reoccurring in her head and that ultimately she felt that he was right she felt in the end to use fear without remorse. What choice did she have; time and time again she ran, sheltered in her own shadow unafraid to be the best. Now she was given a chance to be the best in a tournament dedicated for it and now she was losing on the first round already? How would she explain it to her master once she returned knowing he would seek answers, how would he react to it all in learning his dedicated apprentice fell upon the first hurdle of a test?

_Your right_ Said Terra to the voice. _I won't hold back, ever!_

Somehow she felt that the voice seems to smile upon hearing her words as she turned to confront her fears and Hawkgirl. Still on the rock that travelled afar from and across the Terrain of earth she suddenly yelled out loud, her voice got stronger and more powerful as crackles of yellow energy sparked around her. Hawkgirl noticed the strange sparks of energy that danced around Terra and wondered what she was doing. Concern started to come in when she noticed the ground before her was moving forward, flakes of soil was strumming off. The earth was slowly begging to have chunks slowly being torn off as each piece was being ripped off and flung off towards the hawked lady yet she carried on catching up on Terra evading and destroying when suddenly in one violent trigger shreds of earth and rubble were being stripped off the earth's face. Everything seems to litter the sky with waves of obstacles that could easily break her in two.

"Terra!" She cried out as her wings beaten quicker trying to catch up with Terra despite avoiding coming rocks from afar where she was yet to get Terra. Then her eyes and mouth looked on in nothing but horror.

"**TERRA LOOK OUT!**" She screamed out in her warning. Terra heard but turned too late not realising that one of the rocks she tore out madding with her mind came from behind her and not in front of the others, it was large, too large to avoid and struck on in a head on collision. Hawkgirl watched in a petrified moment as she saw Terra fall, still alive but falling helplessly deep below.

Ignoring every danger, Hawkgirl shot down into descent, braving anything that came passed her as she frantically swayed, destroyed and sped past her way past the rocks that were more falling to earth given Terra lost her power of command. Terra was still falling but she was close, so close that her hands were sweating in hope that she could reach the young girl.

She speeded down one last time and pulling her hand as far as it could go before the socket of the arm felt the strain where by luck of fate she swiped Terra's frail arm under her hand and clenched it in a desperate grip, vowing not to let go and in return terra held on as they swooped above the last few meters of earth, avoiding death and killing off their madding descent to start a new ascent to safety.

"Terra you…oh god...**HOLD ON!**" Despite all her skill the Hawked warrior tried desperately to avoid a last minute Stone of immense side as it bolted ahead catching her left arm and knocking her and Terra back down from their flight only to hit the earth but though their fall wasn't much the remainder of the earth that was tossed in the sky wasn't and soon everything came crashing down to earth upon them…

* * *

Finally rubbing the pain, sight finally returned to the princess of Amazons though she was constantly now making use of her sight, as her sight was gone for a while yet Blackfire had not touched her and now she was looking round everywhere this landscape as the fires shooting up and the bubbling sound of the sands below were not helping in her search.

"Hi!"

_No, no more please_

Wonderwoman looked above her just to see the fighter she was against above her all along and yet still eluded her; it seemed she was toying with her for quite a while.

"Nice day isn't it? Noticed you were going the wrong way as in case you didn't notice I'm here" Her smile lit up more as she could read everything from Wonderwoman's defeated eyes. "But then again you knew that didn't you?" Blackfire smiled a bit more before letting her eyes ignite with violet flames only this time her hands glowed with the same colour as well. "Ready? Because now I'm serious!"

Wonderwoman didn't need to guess what the glowed hands could produce as she immediately darted to the left when she saw high bolts of dark shades of violet shoot out at her. The Amazon princess kept moving back, fleeing and evading, the bolts didn't look reboundable as she kept moving hoping to find a break when Blackfire shot down from the sky and decided to give her one with fists lashing out in a direct advance of the princess. Desperately trying to parry and duck as each blow intensified which proved that Blackfire at last was showing off her full potential and grew bored of the Amazon before her. Yet Diana finally ducked successfully below a striking fist only she ended up receiving the breaking point of the fight as passed the punches a damaging blast greeted her once more from Komand'r's eyebeam as it broke down Wonderwoman's last remaining strength but this time in the chest decisively.

She crouched down breathing hard when she saw Blackfire zoom in and raised her feet for swift acute strikes as each one knocked her around from side to side each, blurringly fast as they kicked her around with repeated jabs and slams to her face before Blackfire finally slowly drifting afar before flying in with a fist tighten back before it propelled out digging in hard to the Amazon's stomach. Diana coughed out her last remaining fighting breath at the blow as the pain rippled from the source to evenly around her body, yet the Tamaran was yet to lose any breath, she just looked at the weakened Amazon and just grinned saying simply.

"I win your highness"

With a somewhat ironic note in the highness that Blackfire seem satisfied to imply on as Diana leaned back into the air as she blacked out, Blackfire smiled as she took off Diana's Amazon crown and placed it on her forehead.

"Behold I am Komand'r, Princess of the Tamaraian's!"

She laughed out loud with satisfaction of victory though decided to make the effort to catch the fallen Amazon's unconscious body as it continued to fall when suddenly it was engulfed by nothing but light as it vanished. Blackfire was thrown into bafflement when she too was whisked away in the light…

* * *

"Well done Champion Blackfire, you have prevailed to the next round" Blackfire found her eyes suddenly having to get to grips with a new change in the world as she found herself back in the familiar old dome but she recognised the voice and as she turned she saw the master of games gliding down gracefully the descent of his throne and stairs by his flight.

"I never have thought you would have given such a dominate display over the great Amazon princess." Blackfire just shrugged as if it was no big deal as she liked to gloat knowing that this was something to savour for quite a while.

"Yeah, well she was human after all; hardly the challenge of the universe is that." The Master of games seem to chuckle slightly, amused by Blackfire's single minded values of herself above all others.

"Very well than, I suggest though that you rest for tomorrow's opponent. Perhaps tomorrow will produce you a worthier challenge." With a touch of his gem a corridor emerged from the domed wall behind Blackfire. "Take the route before you, there are many rooms for you to pick from at the end of the corridor and meals will be held at a canteen at the end of the dorms.

"Sounds cool enough of a deal" Blackfire walked off feeling proud that she had achieved victory when she out of curiosity she couldn't help but turn back and let out a small statement of curiosity.

"I didn't know you could fly?"

The master was stopped in his return to his throne yet though she could only see the back of the being she had a feeling that he caught him off guard somehow. However Blackfire didn't push it any further, mention of rooms made her feel tired anyway and she was too taken in by her victory to say otherwise.

"forget it, must be natural to you I guess I mean if some so called Amazon of national sell-outs can fly than why not you?" With that Blackfire left, the master was too caught on the amusement of the naive ness that was Blackfire's than be insulted by comparing her with Wonderwoman, in fact that itself seemed ironic even more, more the humour of it all.

_Yes Blackfire, flight is quite natural to me now…Thanks to you that is_

Still in some amusement he touched his gem and watched as a portion of the air turn to a window, a moving picture that made him see the aftermath of the warlike conflict between Hawkgirl and Terra. He looked at the ruined earth, on one side he felt disappointed that he did not control a power such like Terra, yet relived as well on the other side as such a power seem too dangerous to control as Terra had clearly proved herself. Hawkgirl was much less of a loss; she had flight and a malice weapon, but because of Wonderwoman's defeat he had strength, reflexes and flight.

He desired now the other fighter's powers now as he was sure their abilities were not just interesting but controllable as well. Deciding now to close the window as it was clear that terra and Hawkgirl could not have survived and that the arena was their gravestone. The only real regret was that it was a perfectly good arena or was which made it regrettable to the master.

But his agenda was filled in a greed to obtain either Starfire or Blackfire's powers; just gaining either one of these fighter's powers would surely make him unmatched as he seem to glee in the fact that if these abilities he now possessed were just from some human as Blackfire put it than he couldn't wait to obtain the powers that of a Tamaraian…

_To be continued..._

AN: Reviews are welcome.


	3. Chapter II, Round I Part II

AN: Ok anonymous reviews are aloud but try to be slightly detailed if you can, still reviews or anything constructive save flaming is not welcome. A bit short is this chapter I must admit as to be honest its hard making Batgirl and Jinx significant where given Starfire and Raven's abilities at this stage in the series they don't really stand much of a chance.

Also I'm going to say this now Starfire is strong, anyone who can push down an alien space craft from 'every dog has its day' episode to knocking down Slade's secret monster in 'Aftershock part 2'. Smash kitten's car in 'date with destiny' or can tear a entire force of robots in 'betrayal' is definitely a sign that she's a powerful character only let down by reluctance of violence. I'm only saying that, as I'm sick to death of people having Starfire 'powerless' without reason. Anyway enjoy the story.

Also I apologise for not getting the breaks in. If anyone knows how I'll be grateful.

Tournament of Heroines

Chapter II Part II

A deep cavern welcomed the Tamaran as Starfire's sight was unveiled after the warped teleportaion, she looked round a bit baffled by it all, the walls were made of solid rock and were many all tunnelled into a web of passages. She was intrigued naturally till she realised that her challenger, the one clearly not suited to robin's time she thought was nowhere to be seen and without thinking dropped the memory on why she was here to a levelly concern.

"Batgirl? Where are you?" She lit up her hand to shine out her own natural energised source of emeraldic coloured sphere and shone it to see her way in the nightly cavern, she was hoping to see something when she stumbled forward by a sharp kick in the back followed by a number of knuckle blows that sent Starfire crashing down forward.

"Ever heard of the term 'Stealth'? Hardly the brightest of stars are you?" Gloated the egotistical voice, Starfire turned not quite mad but coming close but when she turned all she saw was nothing more than darkness making her realise that this game was if anything almost cat and mouse like game with the darkness hindering her long sighted vision. But as soon as she lit her own hand once more a reward of projectile like objects were spun in the air letting out loud but light pitched whistling sounds. Starfire naturally eked in response as one of the projectiles blasted near her throwing her into disarray following two more as she blasted out her own energy bolts in a blind but vain attempt to stop Batgirl.

"This game you play is lacking the fairness of rules, I demand at once you put an end to this act of unreasonable hostility-Eek!" Hearing more rounds Starfire darted back into one of the many caved passageways only to be greeted by rubble which collapsed on her, set off by an impact of one of the blasts of batgirl's stinging projectiles.

"Hey do I get to demand unconditional surrender?" Sneered Starfire's would be adversary as she walked in the darkness in her cape and uniform looking smug over the relative ease of this victory, there was no reply afterwards only a slow lifting pressure from beneath the rubble but it basely moved anything as the mountain of that rubble kept held of its pin over the Tamaran.

"What's the matter Star? Afraid of the dark?" Batgirl kept her grin for barely a second after her remark when in that same second all her expressions backfired to a shocked and numbed response as a pure burst of green light decimated the darkness and echoed the walls. It was an envious shade of green followed by a powerful eruption where the rocks that once held their pin spat out in all directions as they missed Batgirl by chance alone. From there the female apprentice of the dark knight trembled at the Tamaran who hovered in the air above her with fists coated in energy and eyes flaring out a most hateful stare with errie emerald light shining from Starfire's eyes as her words hissed angrily.

"What's the matter? Afraid of the light?!" Now it was Starfire's turn to take a jibe at her foe as she yelled out pulling her left arm back and than striking it out forward catapulting her first of many bolts at the now awed Batgirl who turned her awed nature to a fleeing nature as she watched the first blast to fall in the name of war…

* * *

Patience was running short for Jinx, herself and the fool Raven arrived on this unknown land that clearly bored her due to its lack of unimaginative inspiration where she and 'her' stood on nothing but a smooth floor of earth and grey compounds of dust that layered above the earth itself. Than for a good few minutes at least Raven, lover of the dreadful blue was standing with her back turned to her, ignoring her completely and wondered if she was stupid, loved the night star sky or just plain blind to notice her.

"Hey, don't you know a threat when you see one?" Raven coolly replied.

"That's why I'm looking out for one"

"Well about over 'here' for a change, come on blue bird don't make come over there and 'hurt' you"

"Already looked, waste of time" Still facing away from Jinx the capped fighter seem to care little about the nature of this contest as she seemed to already conclude the outcome.

I always said you fight like a girl and now your acting like one!" At last Raven slowly turned round, her upper face perfectly shadowed by her hood with emotions intact under an iron rule of self control looking at Jinx as if she was nothing but an insect.

"Looked in the mirror lately?"

"Yeah and I got to say it's a lot better looking than what I'm seeing right now! You stand no chance against me. I gave you a chance to fight blue bird, but you just lost it. I can take you in ten minutes"

"Ten minutes eh?" It seemed almost that Raven smiled but her pale face blanked out to that dull exterior that was often shown on her usual looks. "Well I guess everyone has to start from somewhere but with me it's usually five minutes," She said boldly while pushing back her cape behind her shoulders to show off her athletic body and strength. "But with you exceptions are made, three minutes or less depending on how quick you can bore me"

"Bore you? No you're the one who's boring me! Get ready for attack pattern Alpha!" Shouting confidently she raised her arms forward to an attack position as if leading an co-ordinated wave of assault leaving Raven to observe in blank motion as the pink loving woman stood with her arms out waiting for something to happen, it than dawned on her.

"Ah, girls only isn't it?" Raven managed to draw out a slow sarcastic nod as Jinx finally comes to terms on why her HIVE collages like Gizmo were practically non-existent.

The error marked her with anger as she fired out her pink sorcery powers as curved waves of hixes streamed out the air at Raven and the ground before her. Raven evaded smoothly in a glided fashion across the erupted earth, barely a few feet as she sped each explosion of rock and earth to Jinx with her eyes in strong focus on Jinx. She was close already in a matter of seconds when Jinx charged in, twisting her body to a high free kick with her back heel being the main strike force.

"Remember you still fight like a girl-" Her eyes shown a different story as Raven simply took a smooth side-step opposite of the direction of Jinx's kick while diving in her nearest leg, pushing down on Jinx's only standing leg making it tumble down along with the rest of her body.

"Observe footwork more" advised Raven, but it was advice that Jinx didn't want, she shot around firing another wave of hixes only for raven to bend her body impressively backwards as the wave streamed harmlessly passed her.

Jinx shot forward pushing her fists forward while keeping a high guard forcing Raven to keep skipping backwards parrying away each assault without any real threat till Jinx tensed her last coming fist and lunged it forward in a straight manner. The blow was coming in fast for a head aim when Raven seem to rise above her with her body towering above her in a sudden motion of speed and anticipated leaving Jinx to strike nothing but the air and seeing Raven hovering above her with her feet resting on top of Jinx's arm.

"From here Footwork can be observed" And with that came strikes of feet, levelled at Jinx's face each foot suddenly drove forward into the delicate face of the sorceress. The first blow flicked jinx's head back as her arms suddenly swung round her face desperately trying to shield her face from any footwork attacks. She couldn't believe how much better her foe had become whilst thinking of a quick possible solution only to realise at last the battering had strangely stopped.

The mystery was short lived however as Jinx learnt from her eyes as she now saw two feet levelled suddenly towering above her face. It was barely noticeable before it all came down with an immense impact pushed down by body weight. Darkness smothered Jinx's vision while feeling her world go down with a crash of pain over before blacking out by not the impact but the teleportaion of her body and soul as she was hurtled into the obviation that was defeat. Raven looked on the floor and muttered with a somewhat smile of small satisfaction.

"Out in a minute, seemed I overestimated her" She joked privately to herself.

* * *

"I'm sorry I really I'm!" A blast was Starfire's answer to Batgirl.

"Really!"

The darkness was suppose to be her perfect cover for her to launch her attacks but no, she had to push her attitude to provoke an E.T type fighter to something out of Warp Trek except when mad fired bolts and had strength to tear rock to nothing let alone she was so enraged that the light that shone from her eyes and hands lightened everything in a glow of green light.

_So much for darkness, dam her! what is she? The incredible Tamaran?! Goes green with rage?_

Her athletic reflex was put in use when two more blasts ripped everything behind her, avoiding damage but flying due to its force having no control over anything save the landing that she barely handled as she turned to observe the damage and to see Starfire yelling in a semi warcry.

_Cry out 'star crush' or 'star burn' while your at it you psycho Alien! I'm sure Stan Lee will love you for that!_

Suddenly her run came to an end, the mazed passageways, everything it seemed led to nothing but an open space of air where a wall circulated round a pool of iced water, coated in blue resting disturbingly peaceful still on the surface.

No time for pleasant obervantries as without pause for concern she jumped out of the tunnel and into the air. Once in the open she fired her grappler with faith that it was long enough to hit an end of a sort and hope she could contact something that would haul her from her descent to the waters in time.

In relief she felt her grappler grab something and was about to smile in joy when the rope strangely was straightened upwards rather than slanting forward, throwing Batgirl back and forth till the rope stopped dangling. She looked up and learnt what it was that happened.

"You cheated" Reminded Starfire bitterly as with one hand of her strength held the grappler rope leaving Batgirl to dangle below her at her mercy, hoping for once that Starfire would not let go. "You cheated on me, refused to fairness of rules in your tactics!"

"…And I'm sorry really!" Starfire seem to eye her still with her eyes ready it seem to kill on sight, but than her face grew less tense as the familiar face of forgiveness slowly grew on her.

"Really" Batgirl smiled, finally a chance to win. Quickly unhooking her second grappler, she fired it in a shot close to Starfire, hitting the ceiling above her as she let the grappler pull her up in automatic gear, flying upwards at Starfire and with her three hand still fired more of the projectiles. One went wild but the second struck Star herself as she seem to stagger in the air dropping the grappler Batgirl was once on while cradling her face in reaction.

Batgirl smiled as the grappler shot her up in impressive velocity and hooked out another projectile when she spotted from the gathering dust of the impact that targeted Star two shaped markings in a glow of strong green that blended in the smoke of the blast. Batgirl was puzzled, till from the smoke did she see what it was. Once more the red headed alien stood in flight but with eyes glaring with green power, the next thing the Gothom girl knew was a blast of green energy that knocked her off the grappler and down into the pool of iced water in a look of shock. She saw Starfire returning to normal almost horrified at what she did when Batgirl saw nothing at all as she felt the energy of the Teleportaion engulf her totally from everything…

* * *

AN2: Slight reference to fear itself episode with the mention of 'Warp Trek' and a slight contrast of humour with Starfire and another certain marvel character. (The fact I mentioned Stan Lee should give away the answer, if not think of a green guy from marvel comics who only becomes green out of anger issues…) And there's another reference to the episode 'nevermore' if you can spot it.

Anyway please review.

_. _


	4. Clash of the Titans

**Chapter III**

* * *

"Well done champion!" Starfire, stunned found herself back in the chamber once more and welcomed back by the black/white fur skinned being that was the master of games.

"So, I won?"

"Of course He said reassuringly "Though total victory is still not in your grasp so soon young heroine" Another flash came and Raven stood, expecting as always her return especially in how she had disposed of her excuse for a challenger just as she expected an overjoyed cheer of words address to her.

"Friend Raven, you are well!" Raven just nodded, it was no big deal and that was it. She now could focus on bigger issues, like getting Terra out of her sight as soon as possible. But that's what caught her observation; where were the others, especially Terra.

"..Aren't we supposed to have the other fighters coming yet?" The master was quick to explain.

"Yes young one, however I have to admit, there was an incident regarding both two heroines, Hawkgirl and Terra. Due to their actions, I had to disqualify them. However-" Unlike his previous sentence that seemed to be rushed, he brought out his next sentence with intrigue, somewhat impressed with the news himself.

"I may add that young champion Blackfire had overcome Wonderwoman in such relative time, she seems to show the most promise out of you all. I cannot wait to see who will be the victor, which is why in the next four hours I shall introduce a battle royal for all three heroines to fight. I trust this will be of no harm for you?"

The offer sounded intriguing and perhaps more so it was something worth looking forward to, oddly did Raven notice that her friend didn't seem to be involved, or perhaps it was that she was involved only it was something she heard that made her distance herself from the proportion.

"Than me and star will decide on when it comes then." She turned waiting for star to nod but her friend that represented everything that Raven exiled herself from and in Raven's eyes without intending to make it as a bad joke she looked, alienated from them.

"Star?" Raven's voice was strong yet unkind but it was meant to be, she was getting her attention not to be asking why she was so blue, that would come later itself. Starfire suddenly snapped out, her eyes rolled to face Raven's line of contact and just muttered a simple 'yea' even if she wasn't listening to the royal offer. Or how Raven saw it, perhaps she didn't want to listen. The master shrugged. "Very well, later of this day you will grant me your decision."

The door behind you will lead you to a selection of rooms, feel free to pick one and the canteen; feel free to tuck in and express your victories with your fellow champion" With that he meant Blackfire, Raven walked off only to notice star temporary standing before she too decided to catch up.

* * *

Down the path, the two decided to march to the canteen while taking their own time just looking around the dull alloys of their pathway and it was now without the master of games affecting their destination and even their choices. In fact this was their first choice since they came here; everywhere else was fight and fight. There was no sinister purpose in the fights, or who they fought, though fighting someone like jinx was considered to be an insult.

However maybe it was they way in how quick the losers just go. In fact this 'tournament' all seemed to be moving a bit fast for one. Her eyes then turned to her friend who was looking a bit unsure, suffering from what looked like insecurity before the fall. Might not be as catchy as pride before a fall but it was still a useful saying Raven took well yet it seemed Starfire needed to know that more than her.

"Oh right spit it out"

"You suggest I have something ill in my mouth?"

"..Not quite what I meant, unless your prepared to spit out the fact your reluctant" and for affect Raven took a few steps ahead and added something, not so much intended to insult her but to drive her into realising it. "Unless you were afraid that is" Now Star raised her voice, where as Raven's was controlled and firm, Star's was slightly firm but in proving Raven otherwise in a sharp response one would react when their pride is punctured.

"I am not afraid" Raven turned, the two both powerful yet were as much equal of repellent force as well as destructive, star looked insulted, Raven looked uncaring.

"You say that as if you never knew it"

"I don't"

"Than why act like why you did back there. You didn't seem to take your sister's victory very well"

"Well I should I? My sister stole and lied, though I did briefly forgive her"

"And you tried attacking her when we first came here" Added Raven who was on her way to building her point. "So why the mood swings?" Starfire was bit her lip slightly knowing she has been mentally pinned with no escape route to go to.

"I guess in a way, I can still not, decide over how I should feel. On one side I feel it is logical to feel unjoyed but than feel that such a process is wrong. I just feel that perhaps she can change."

"Is that a word of doubt I hear?" The voice of clear arrogance was definably Blackfire, older sibling of Starfire and the most promising of the combatants, her smile made Starfire turn unsure and uneasy. To Raven it meant trouble, confident and yet unafraid as her smile might as well be a cloak concealing the blade within that was her power. A blade she felt at times was sharper than her own. Starfire tried, she really tried to look like she could stand up to her superior version but deceiving was never a skill honest people had and Starfire was all too honest and fair for her own sake. Raven raised an eyebrow to the semi crown that Blackfire now claimed as her own after her victory over Wonderwoman.

"Let me guess Blackfire; warrior princess" The older Tamaran smiled friendlily to Raven. "Not quite" Her eyes then rested at her sister.

"So little sister how did you fare, I trust a bat fan wasn't too tiring for you" Making memorable quotes was one thing but to counter and counter in an argument of words. That was another and was something Starfire felt was unnecessary.

"You know I can stand to you sister" Blackfire's response was far from warm and even sent a slight unsettling feeling into Raven.

"And you know I can easily break you as I always have, and will" Blackfire sneered coldly knowing as she can see in star's eyes that her confidence was in hiding, afraid to make a stand. Wherever it was that she truly cared for her or wished no harm to all in general Blackfire didn't care, Starfire was how she wanted her to be. A tool. Blackfire almost laughed at seeing her sister reduced how she fell so soon. It was almost unbelievable; she held no regret as she marched past knocking into her sister's shoulder. Starfire felt the knock and rubbed it, trying to brush away the pain. But to Blackfire that was merely the icing. She promised to get even with star and what better way than to settle it the old fashioned way in a ring?

"See you later I guess" Oddly the comment seemed referred to at Raven which injured Starfire all the more.

"Oh and the canteen's a blast, you should check it out" And with that she went to her room.

* * *

On one of her favourite gothic games there was a character she admired who quoted well vae victus 'woe to the conquered' and right now Raven felt some woe to her comrade as she just been walked over without fighting back. She had to wonder what stung more, Blackfire sensing the weakness or her commentary. Either way Starfire looked indecisive and small like any kid walking through a schoolyard battle ground of bullies or Blackfire was the biggest of them all.

"Guess I'll set up the victory parade"

"Excuse me?"

"Look at yourself; hardly Tamaran pride was that"

"..You wouldn't understand. She is my sister" Raven shrugged as she walked on.

"Yeah your right I don't have a sister, that makes you lucky"

"Why?" Raven answered bleakly to Star's Bafflement.

"Because I have a father to deal with" After her misadventure with cyborg and Beast boy, Raven went to the length of explaining what happened to both Robin and Starfire herself, considering that both cyborg and beast boy had the misfortune in getting caught up with her settlement issue with her father. That memory of learning about Raven's father was fresh in Starfire's as was all her previous adventures.

"If I can just as fight back against something as oppressive as my father, than I'm sure you can fight back what is but a flea compared to my issues" Raven by now was a few steps away from the canteen door itself, secretly she always favoured beast boy's tofu and wondered if something similar could be produced. Yet the only thing produced when the doors opened was black smog of smoke that just brushed past her in a thick cloud of mild heat, forcing out a few coughs from Raven herself.

The smoke past and all she saw was absolute carnage. Everything from food, to drinks, tables, walls was destroyed. Raven didn't know what stung more, the sight of the destruction, or the failure to note Blackfire's ironic words. She turned to see Starfire looking half distraught now that the two of them had to go hungry over night.

"Its not all that bad" Said Star reassuringly. "I think I can see some mustard leeching off the walls somewhere" Raven frowned as she rolled her eyes away from star and whished Star would just raise some strength to condemn her sister.

"I'll be in my room" Said Raven as she picked a room out of random and decided to give it a rest for now. Even though the master spoke of Terra being disqualified and though that pleased her she couldn't help but feel that somehow a loop was in place in that somehow she was still here somewhere…

* * *

"_Terra?"_

There was no answer at first, maybe because Hawkgirl's voice still sounded a bit weak but when she repeated her word again it was stronger as she now gained the strength to open her eyes and see a most phenomenal feature. Above her laid over perhaps eight or nine tonnes of brown earth and rock, spreaded above them by an invisible act of force. It lay like a dome above them, paused in a fall, a great power still held over them. In the centre of the flat Terrain, not far from her, was the power behind it all: Terra.

The young girl, fourteen in age was on one knee spraying out her arms and fingers above her, acting as if she was atlas of mythology, she held with strain in her muscles and her eyes were wising with growing desperation. Tanned with dust and hair all dry she looked a sorry sight indeed, a sight that seemed to be slowly giving in to an increasing doom. Yet Hawkgirl pulled herself up, her legs felt weak but her wings were still in perfect strength as she flew closely by and approached Terra being careful not to destroy their only hope of survival. How this girl withstood so much force for so long and alone was incredible itself. Yet it seemed Terra had her fear long bottled up for as soon had she saw her friend did she confess painfully.

"..I can't do it"

"No Terra, you're doing well, you **CAN** do this, you **have** to"

"What do you know?" She argued, "I can't bear the world on my shoulders and it hurts. I can't take the burden anymore, its too much!" Pressure of the earth was curse enough with her, but it was the pressure of hope and dependence that was her true enemy, one person demanding so much, to control a power she cannot master. But that was when the voice came in. Everything drowned out, whatever Hawkgirl said it was but a bearable whisper compared to the voice she now listened. He wasn't here but his words were haunting enough to be embedded inside of her to reoccur when she had no one else to help her. Or was it that the master of the words made her dependent on them?

Regardless of which the voice came to her, it clung to her like a wind of cold air and spoke icily, assuring her that only the voice was right, that the voice was her choice and her only path. And she in return began to believe those words, words that told her she was strong, that to control her power she must remove all barriers of caring. For nothing of life was significant compared to the memory of testament.

She didn't know what her master wanted but great power was promised, respect to her and fear for all would be guaranteed. The voice was right to her in the end, why live in denial, why let value of life concerns her if life was but a tyrant on her. Why should she respect the morals of society when society outcasts her?

Finally she fell to the poison; intoxicated by the advice of her only choice she at last accepted without care, the first revelation of what her powers could truly do to her without care. New doors opened to power and vengeance, no longer will she be afraid to use her force, she will embrace it and use her power as it should be. To gain respect by fear, as the echoes of her master quoted to her 'You are unique, a child that has a nature of power, why deny that nature? After all you'll only be denying yourself'

Terra yelled strongly, the obstacles before her that was ready to become her tomb were now dust compared to her, new strength came and at a second's whim repulsed the fallen debris from her afar. She finally fell on her knees, taking in the fact she was strong at last and laughed out in triumph.

She smiled in sadistic realisation that she finally did it. She finally mastered her own fear and in time she would learn how to make others feel that fear, the fear she had to long take from those who were in truth afraid of her. Hawkgirl came, thinking her friend was laughing in success of cheating death knelt beside her and patted her shoulder. She felt she was sharing the feeling with the child that they survived and could see clear sky once more.

"Come on, I'll fly you out of here" Terra accepted as Hawkgirl took Terra in her arms as she started her flight across the landscape heading perhaps to a possible ending but for now they lived.

"So I'm guessing it was something that inspired your success?" asked Hawkgirl. "Your mother perhaps?"

"I don't have a mother"

"oh, I see"

"But I do have a father" Hawkgirl wasn't sure if it was the aftermath of battle tiredness but she could had swore smiled slightly when she said father yet it was the nature of the smile. It looked almost cruel and sadistic and it was the timing of that did she feel a shudder of cold air that somehow came in a hot landscape, almost as if something evil smiled back to the young girl that was Terra.

For now she was happy at what she had accomplished and at what was yet to be accomplished…

* * *

At last the fighters re-gathered after being announced and stood before the master. The master was in a good mood, Blackfire was sadistically overjoyed, Starfire looked slightly conflicted while still trying to be a foot's distance away from her older version and Raven was feeling nothing but rather anticipate any form of combat by the other two.

"So champions, you have all gathered for the final participation. I take it you all want to go through the battle royal?" The master was expecting a yes unison vote given, but Raven knew how to displease people. But rather for the sake of privacy she wanted to do this out of help.

"No" the master wasn't upset or annoyed, but he remained still, deciding to see what Raven would say. None of them had found his secret so far, but he was getting ready in case it might have, but thankfully for him it turned out differently.

"I request a duel with Starfire-"

"Raven?!" Raven carried on, ignoring star's astonishment. The master was most curious.

"Your reason for this, young champion?"

"If Blackfire is as promising as you make her to be, than I feel her best will be given easier if it was settled over a one and one basis"

The master gave it some thought; he seemed rather keen on this "And is this ok with you Blackfire?" The dark hair alien woman shrugged. "Sure, I can wait for a minute I guess"

"Then it is settled! Starfire of Tamaran Versus Raven of Azarath; May the battle begin!

And with that the two titans vanished.

* * *

They appeared, a volcanic ash like world with various rocky landscapes dotted around the place, the sky was equally dismal which greeted the two fighters. Starfire looked around uneasy, already her words themed on a plea to her friend.

"Raven, please I have no desire of winning against you of so soon a time."

"No star" Corrected her friend. "This is the time; I'm giving you the chance to defeat your fear, the boundary that you don't have to accept. I never accepted my father and so you don't have to accept your sister, you deserve better Starfire than to be treated as a toy."

"But can I not choose the time to make my own say?"

"While your sister plans to make the final round to a 'mock you day'? If you don't stand now, you'll never stand at all. You either bear your power or you don't. The choice is yours"

"But you're not giving me a choice!" Raven tore a section of the ground beside her, swamped in her dark spell it shot towards Starfire who took the reaction to evade quickly.

"I am giving you a choice star, I don't like doing this but there is no other time for you to fight without guilt or look back in guilt in knowing you could had stood up against your sister in this day of all days!" the second object she tore out went directly at star but by now the words got through to her and built up Adeline of dormant action that finally sprung when the Tamaran snapped forward with her fist and shattered the debris with her alien strength.

"Very well, if you want me to force on this victory.." She stopped her sentence as her eyes charged in green anger, Raven wanted to give star a chance to be ready against Blackfire and she did so. The only catch now was she had to fight Starfire, she wouldn't make it easy as she too wanted to win yet in the end she knew the final outcome of the tournament was inevitable when Blackfire was announced and no matter how hard she tried. Raven knew that it would be Blackfire in the end that would be victorious no matter how great star's chances were. So why did she bother doing it? Her mind wondered that as she charged all the dark energy in her to form a defensive sphere and could only think that she did it out of friendship. Even if she was forcing it on Starfire it was only because she felt pity in the end.

Starfire charged, she flew just feet above the ground, fists first and bolts raised. Her charge was a basic yet bold one. Raven's spell quickly gathered at full strength and waited not for star to be close enough to engage the sphere but close enough for Raven to break the back of her sphere and let it curl round its sides as it overlapped around and engulfing the young Tamaran who did not see the folding range of the sphere till it was too late. Starfire was instantly caught. Raven clenched her fingers, tipping the fingers with clawed pressure as she jabbed her arms forward pressing the sphere with force without touch to shoot Starfire across the land and heavily to the ground. Only it didn't.

The sphere was stopped by Starfire's own force. Her own strength was now dwelling deeper into its power, it overcame Raven's mental hold, the sphere already out of Raven's control still began to crack, her magic slowly waning to the internal aggression it held prisoner. Till at last with the strength of fire from within erupted the dark prison from within. The shell was broken and with no intentional pun in Raven's mind did she realise that a star was born.

Raven focused her powers once more put upon herself, a shadowy creature projectile over her. A puppet to her own use, it was bird shaped showing a noble but aggressive expression that sent no intimidation to her Tamaran friend. The being was phoenix like and Raven mastered the form, throwing herself across the air the form made a direct assault to Starfire. Starfire too charged only she held back on the bolts, feeling bold enough to break the weapon by might alone. The two elements of light and dark, chaos and order collided at speeds that created a thunderous explosion as sound as Starfire smashed into the dark matter.

But the matter didn't break form and slammed into star throwing her down from the air as she shot ahead. The impact was strong but not that strong for the young princess to regain control of her fall and flipped backwards in the fallen decent onto the ground with her hands and feet. She looked up briefly only to see the moving shadow strike once more. She somehow expected and flew straight into the sky, missing the phoenix form striking the ground in its force before giving chase upwards once more. Starfire had the lead but the being was fastly catching up.

Flying high in pursuit and yet unknowingly to the being did the Tamaran had her hands raised above her head for a reason. From her hands a swelling of green power was getting more dense and stronger, Starfire knew she couldn't outrun it; she just needed the time to charge and strike with success. A cry from the being was heard once more, its presence now barely feet away as it beated its wings with thunderous rampage when star brought down her cupped palms and delivered the enormous surge stored within.

The blast struck with perfect accuracy as it shackled and struck the shadowy being with relentless drive till the light finally tore the imitation after a great effort of violent force that tore the endurable being.

The surge of energy immediately halted, when revealing an exhausted Raven who was reeling from the power that had struck her. She looked beat and worn out, Raven desired to fight still but she realised however that would had defeated the purpose. She made Starfire confident and ready; why make her waste her small chance against Blackfire? Raven decided to slowly land to earth with the remaining control of her flight she had in her, though near the ground she couldn't help but drop to the floor limped of any feeling as she rested, Starfire, still fresh landed beside her and looked over her defeated friend.

"heh, vae victus" Raven said half ironically to herself in her own amusement. "You win for now star" Starfire was at first momentary speechless before smiling out of kindness she still held for her close friend. "Raven, I like to say -"

Suddenly Raven was gone, teleported away without warning or consideration. The timing of it almost broke Star's heart. She didn't understand why such a tournament where no one is given the time or the chance to say thank you or goodbye. It was than another teleportation came not far and what followed briefly was a voice of ignorance till she saw the winner.

"Well done Raven, I knew you could do it!...oh, its you"

"And hello to you to sister" Muttered Starfire sarcastically.

"So its just us two is? Guess that's fine for me, it'll be much better in some ways will this." She clenched her fist tightly, tensioning them for battle. "Shame though, I always considered Raven to be the better now I have to bore myself by beating you"

"Than I'm happy to disappoint you"

"No, it wasn't you, more of your raving friend I believe. Come on, I noticed her concerns to you and the fact your not mostly hurt must show she was trying to help ready you against me." She prided herself at seeing such truths, knowing any other lower would be just too blind to see. "To be honest I can find better ways to waste my time than doing that"

"Lets get this over with" Starfire was raising a bolt in her hand as her eyes flamed hatefully, Blackfire laughed loudly in her overbearing smirk. "Hardly dear this sister, this is hardly a place of majestic worth is it?" She faced to the night sky and shouted at the top of her lungs, calling upon her ally.

"Ok Master of games, MOG, whatever you're called! Take us!"

"…What do you mean by that sister?" Blackfire grinned at Starfire, happily at knowing that she had no idea at what was at store.

"Ash and dust makes a poor choosing for royalty. I seek a more worthy stage, something that will reflect my days of glory for a long time."

And with that the two vanished to the final stage of the games.

* * *

AN: The next chapter will provide many twists, not in who the final winner will be but who the final boss will be as well. Confused? All will be revealed in the all action finale.

Raven saying vae victus is based from a game series I played where its very gothic based and is full of ironies, darkness and conspiracies. I picked it as I can see Raven being a fan of it or quoting its main quote. So I wouldn't consider it out of character as she is sarcastic and ironic and would make sense to pick an ironic example. She also makes a culture reference at saying 'Blackfire, warrior princess' in irony. In case you don't know Raven is jibing a reference with Blackfire and Xena, warrior princess.

And that phoenix shape raven used her spell to morph as. She has that power, especially in the episode 'how long is forever' I see that as Raven's most powerful attack without going ballistic and having four eyes etc.

Still R&R are welcome as usual R&R as in Read and Review not Relax and Refresh!


	5. A Friend in need is a Friend Indeed

**Chapter V**

_A Friend In need is a Friend Indeed_

AN: Just a reminder:

Starfire (Koriand'r)

Blackfire (Komand'r)

This is only mentioned as where they fight would involve their native names as that's the location of their battle. Also beware of a twist and a several Titan episode references here! And the ending here is slightly emotional as with the episode 'winner takes all' it raises the question on is winning everything? In this as you'll find out the theme here is the power of friendship in the end. the battles are a _'tad'_ intense, great thing about being an author is you don't have a buget level that animation directors have when showing a character's power to the max.

**Warning**: Some detailed violence intensity

Enjoy the story

* * *

**Chapter V**

_A Friend in need is a Friend Indeed_

_By Koriandr Star_

* * *

**'Komand'r!'**

**'Komand'r!'**

**'Komand'r!'**

Out of the teleportation was a world that almost shattered the confidence of Starfire by sight alone. Before her were thousands and perhaps even tens of thousands of cheering Tamaran's, all seated in many rows that overshadowed the centred stage.

**'Komand'r!'**

They all exclaimed with passionate praise which escalated into a deafening cheer, Starfire looked around in the stage she was brought on; numerous platforms of perfect square were floating above the deep sea pool that was below her. And on the highest platform did she see Komand'r, her sister Blackfire; the one everyone was worshiping at without reason and was treating her as if she was the Grand Ruler of Tamaran herself. Starfire even noticed her sister wore a perfect replica of the grand ruler's costume and her crown especially wasn't wonderwoman's anymore but was now the crown of Tamaran.

Komand'r was sitting on a throne, nicely carpentered and furnished; she leant forward to trade looks, looking down at her sister with amusement. She had always looked down her sister but now she had the chance to do it in the literal sense making it all the more pleasing. Standing highs she did so to get a deliberate response from the blind crowd. They cheered as if they knew of only option and no other. An announcer addressed his presence far from the arena as soon as the people's champion stood but though the announcer was impossible to be seen, his microphoned voice could be heard across the deep red sky.

"Before you all, her absolute exultant; Komand'r: Queen and Grand Ruler of Tamaran!"

"Sister!" Demanded Starfire angrily "What is the meanin-" Her words were outspoken by the narrator whose worldly words held a favourable bias to the self proclaimed ruler.

"And rightfully below Komand'r, is the lowly one, the shadow to Komandr's glory: Koriand'r!"

Called by her proper name; boos and taunts flooded the stage, casting all their blame and fault at her. They poked fun at her name, cleared their disgust at her weaker comparison to their lady. Everything that Komand'r had secretly held about her sister was vented out by the audience that were here for the grand finale. Starfire or Koriand'r she was in this environment and had enough, shouting back in retaliation, she refused to be torn by the verbal bullying, even before the battle had begun. But there was a aching truth in her that she was inflicted slowly by the taunts. Had it been Raven with words being aimed at her she would had been sure that Raven could blank them out in ease. But Koriand'r couldn't, because she wasn't Raven and Komand'r knew that which was why she smirked more when Koriand'r shouted as it meant she was getting to her as usual.

"Sister, stop this at once!" Laughter in return showed she had no desire to stop.

"Why should I Koriand'r? After all the effort the master had done in setting up this arena by my own request? It would be a shame to revert this stage to something less. If you cannot cope with the level that is clearly above you than simply don't bother"

"Level? You are not Grand Ruler; just a delusional one in a self made delusional world!" Her eyes flared up, already confident by her previous bout, her anger added that extra strength. "You are no ruler, especially over me!" But Blackfire sniped back just as strong.

"Rule? What would you know? Your but a shadow sister, get the news; I'm older, I'm the first Princess of Tamaran, you're the second! Lower, smaller and gullible, your nothing compared to me!"

"And you are not the grand Ruler, whatever your rank of birth! You have no right to intimidate our father's role, as long as he still rules!"

"You say that as if rule was a synonym for long" The chuckle in her words, the gleam in her eyes and the fact she turned the world to a stage of her own vision convinced Koriand'r that almost somewhat disturbingly that her sister was in fact serious, serious enough to devise a overthrow. No longer holding back, Koriandr's first move was to fly directly ahead of her imperial sister who was standing at the far side but did not matter as the younger sibling flew off at her bully anyway. The flight was fast but Komandr's reaction was even quicker, a bullet bolt of violet energy flew and hit centre point in Koriandr's chest, packing in a burn of pain and force of strength to reverse her course to where she once started from.

The younger royal's fall struck the position from where she originated from, hard. The floating platform shuddered and rocked with some dust breezing off the impact od the crash. Koriand'r lifted herself to see that once again Komand'r gloating in satisfaction that she was above her once more.

"Don't you get it? I know you were going to do that, because you're my own blood and no matter what your mentor of a friend Raven taught you, it won't do you any good. Don't you see? **I AM** better than you"

"Maybe, But you still know nothing about me" Koriand'r got up, but Komand'r only applauded her presence with a sneer.

"Hah! What's to know about you? You're a fool, a gullible little sister who I have always used and will always use as my tool. You got lucky the last time we fought little sister, but I can assure you that when I'm through with you, you'll be wishing you were in my place in a centari prison as you should be!"

Overconfident Komand'r fired another of heavy energy blasts, triggering two strong blasts they went directly at her excuse of a sister, only Koriand'r somersaulted backwards in a fluid flip, evading away from the explosion and landed. She looked up, seeing that her sister already drew another blast in her palm, smirking at the fact she foresaw the move. Yet Komand'r did not foresee a strong green stemmed beam strike at her, knocking off her balance as she fell onto her back. Baffled at what she saw till her younger sister rode steadily to the sky to meet her did Komand'r realise what it was that caught her off-guard. Koriand'r, her so called weaker sister had already learnt how to use energy from her eyes.

"..How did you?"

"What's wrong?" Jibed back Koriand'r cruelly. "I thought there was nothing to learn about me" The crowd started booing and surprisingly it turned out they were booing at Komand'r, Blackfire was at last in rage, no more smirking, no more arrogance. She was determined now to make her sister know the difference between first and second and why her sister will always remain second.

"Very well" Said Komand'r in clear hostility. "If you want to play big sister then so be it" She tossed aside her cloak and crown and flexed her muscles, readying them to law out the beating she vowed to bring. Both sisters looked at each other one last time before they yelled and charged to fight over the struggle between respect and dominance…

* * *

For sometime she was flying, carrying Terra in her arms without feeling any tire in her, as the thanagor flew on looking for an end. Till strangely to her eyes did the sky look strangely still at the end. It was hard to explain as the sky was simply stretched in a line with no real depth. Hawkgirl landed; rolling her eyes round the environment before her. She looked at Terra who had slumbered into sleep and nudged her arms, gently waking her. Terra easily waken her winged guardian nudged her to wake, putting her feet on the ground once more, she looked oddly around and wondered why Hawkgirl woke her here.

"Where are we?"

"The end I suspect" Slowly Hawkgirl stretched out her arm and placed her fingers out slowly till the tips felt pressure of a boundary, unable to push anymore through the blue sky.

"Is that the limit of this world?"

"I guess it is"

"I don't see any exits" Hawkgirl had to agree with Terra, there were no exits. None seeable anyway. That was till a solution was made in her mind.

"Word of the wise Terra; M.I"

"M.I?" Hawkgirl smiled as she charged her mace letting it crackle alive with potential violence.

"Mace It!" She let out her war cry, announcing the strike of her mace as it hit and ripped through a puncture, tearing out a hole that once the dust settled, led to an endless drop it looked and a almost endless height. A tear that led to a upright tunnel of metal showing hundreds of entrances to worlds similar to the ones they were teleported to. The sheer size, depth and complex made Terra whistle out in amazement.

"Whoa, big one" Hawkgirl agreed.

"Could take time to search where home is" Hawkgirl flew into the vacuum of the metallic structure, Terra tore a piece of earth and used it to levitate herself in the air.

"Ok, so where do we start?"

"You search upwards Terra, try and see a way out" Terra followed as she made off far into the air in a matter of seconds, near away from sight in a matter of seconds. Yet before Hawkgirl could move from her spot did the master appeared, showing gold bracelets upon his wrists and ankles, he looked somehow shocked.

"I must say, you've caught, my attention quite well for some I assumed dead."

"So, this is the backbone entrance to each world you send others to? Just solely to fight? What is your real purpose here?" The master smiled, he didn't need to answer that, now that he had the strength to go with it.

"You ask too many questions. Purpose of this place, who or why it was designed is none of your concern." Hawkgirl raised her mace, her eyes showed anger; she had learned something that the others failed to see.

"You know, for a man who can fly, you seem to have a stairway to your chair for no real reason. And those bracelets? Since when did you took an interest in Amazon culture?"

"Since they became part of my prize" He held his wine red gem with satisfaction. "Jinx, Wonderwoman, Batgirl and Raven are all in this gem, all in me. And guess what my fellow champion; there's room to spare" Satisfied at last, knowing that victory would be near his grasp he had no need to be masking his intentions anymore. Hawkgirl looked at the gem, wondering if what the master was in fact true but the fact he was flying and bore the bracelets of her friend was evidence enough.

"Don't get too smug with yourself" Swinging into aggression, she activated her mace into full power and made a charge. The master retaliated, firing a small shot of Jinx's curseful magic, only to his surprise did he see the mace simply absorb it before it caught loosely upon his face, and feeling nothing but the back whipped across a wall as he was shackled at the immense blow. Yet he simply pulled himself out of the self made crater, deciding he had enough opened out his arms and fired fourth, projectiles of batgirl's. The thanagorian mistakenly power droved her mace, not realising the explosive capability till the touch was made and fell by the repellent strength of the hot blast. Momentary with no control of the air before kicking her wings to use, she rebalanced herself and noticed the distance between herself and her foe was great, the master judged the distance as good enough to try out a little experiment.

"I believe this gives me a chance to try out a power I longed to use" With the air inhaled tightly into his lungs he strongly exhaled his words quickly, eager to summon the power he had gained.

**"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!"**

And than nothing, nothing happened. The master was baffled.

_..I don't understand? Is she somehow holding back her own strength? But how?_

**'YIEARRH!'**

The master found himself at the price of overconfidence, a moment he spent thinking but it was long enough for Hawkgirl to close the gap, raising her battle cry and mace once more. The master re-alerted himself and fought desperately with more projectiles. Yet the explosive devices were inaccurate and ill timed, easily evaded by the thanagor warrior as pulled up her arms in ready for full swing and swung in a sharp vertical swoop that caught the master's bottom jaw, giving him a pained hook that sent him hitting side of the wall once more. He pulled himself once more but slowly as he was now realising that the blows were stronger recoking then he first assumed, already wonder woman's powers were being sufficiently drained as each slam entered more dimensions of distortion and agony to his mind. Though at the same time, the more he thought about the mace the more he grinned deviously about it.

"Impressive young challenger-" He let her attack again, only this time he held his crimson gem and targeted its teleportation powers on its intended target. The compressed beam sparked out of the gem and engulfed the mace, disappearing upon the flash. It took a second for Hawkgirl to react with her eyes widened in what could have been horror or distress.

"-But not that impressive" The master smiled knowing it would be his turn to try out a few things. His left hand opened and a mace manifested upon his hand, he looked at it and saw it charge in energy. "Fascinating" Chuckling as he swung the weapon round listening to its furious roar of energy, he grew intoxicated by the idea of this weapon.

"Yes, truly impressive" He eyed the Thanagor while holding the mace "Though it does need to be tested first"

It was anticipation that saved Hawkgirl's life, the master flew across to strike, letting out a melee level of force which only missed as Hawkgirl was quick enough to swoop down to evade the blow. But what wasn't anticipated was the destructive force of the mace that was now in the master's hand. Under Hawkgirl the impact blow was strong, the power of the mace combined by the strength of wonderwoman that was now in the master, struck out literally an explosion of metal and shrapmel; all hailing down from one thunderous clash.

Hawkgirl tried to avoid, but her speed proved little competition to the monsoon of destruction and soon felt being struck by a pained object that slammed her, she couldn't pinpount the pain as it felt it struck everyehere and blacked her out by the sheer power measure of it, leaving her body to fall without control.

* * *

The master could tell that Hawkgirl had lost, an object that crippled her fragile body, sent her to knock herself out upon the walls he had built before falling without and posture in her. He would had turned away if at the second she fell did he not see a small self made path of earth and steel extend itself from the walls and acted for a pillow for Hawkgirl as the Thanagor came in a small drop only to land on a platform that seem to form out of its own will.

**"Catch this!"**

The voice was clearly Terra, he looked up only to be welcomed by a man sized piece of alloy, embedded in earth smashing into his face. Not as strong as Hawkgirl's impact with the mace but painful enough. Rubbing off the pain over his face and got the mace in his hand and swung for rage, only he was bombarded by an attack on his right side, another bombardment of earth that came in solid rock and alloyed form which slammed him to the other side of the wall.

Pinned crushingly tight, he could barely move when he felt the wall on where his face push over him slowly before striking him again to the other end while pinned from behind. He was being smashed from to and back several times till Terra retracted the prison from the master. The Master hovered weakly, the power of wonderwoman was about gone, unable to provide much endurance, batgirl and jinx was inefficient against a girl who could manipulate earth and its components. The whole stage was surrounded by it in such a close stage; this was indeed Terra's court. He was thankful at least that the gem was miraculously unharmed, just. He needed a way to win.

Terra still gathered her next attack with no show in slowing down of her power, yet that was when he felt something different. The same force that once held back his attempt to gather the energy he wanted to use had been dissolved. It was as if by looking at the girl, the obstacle that denied his attempt to gain power subsided; distracted it seemed by the realisation of Terra.

"Terra, I don't know how but I'm glad you're here" The girl who held manipulation of earth looked strangely down. "You see Terra, I had trouble summoning this owner, yet by being here, and you somehow triggered its release to me. Thank you, young challenger"

"Don't mock me!" throwing down more rain of earth that busted out of the alloyed walls, they came raining down but the master called out.

**"AZARTH METRION ZINTHOS!"**

The hail became frozen, ambushed by the darkness of stealth and wrapped in his control, he raised his hands and gladly hurtled back the gifted weapons at Terra. The girl took evasive action on her levitated pad, giving her enough time to come to terms she was now facing a power, duplicate of Raven's. In frustration by this Terra shot out more attacks, but each one was being countered and flung back, the master grinned and flew up to raise his newfound power for effect. Only on the way there, he felt something in his mind grow, an unusual pain. It wasn't that he was feeling pain as such but he could swear he was hearing a voice that was not his grow to dominate in his own reasoning of his mind slowly. The master shrugged it off ready for battle; sure that it was nothing…

* * *

Light and sound were the main attraction, the light of power and the sound of chaos; both Tamaran royals clashed and exchanged their blows to a violent degree that could only be achieved by two rivalling siblings. The illusional audience watched in wonder as both Komand'r and Koriand'r fought, for several minutes they performed a furious aerial combat with both of them neither giving in. each of them fired pulses of energy from both hand and eye, dodging and countering. A stalemate was in the making till both sides withdrew close space for open manoeuvring more.

Though it looked even from the ground, up to where both Komand'r and Koriand'r fought it was different as from Komandr's eyes she watched her sister drift from her slightly yet she could see how she was faring more then the audience ever could and what she saw pleased her. Her younger sister as she had always expected was beginning to tire, her breathing was a lot more noticeable, harder and deeper whereas for Komand'r she was yet to break her first sweat. For about a minute Komand'r watched her sister, stare at her coldly while she in return tried to glare back strongly trying to intimate her older sister from approaching her.

The tactic wasn't working, Komand'r decided at last to slowly glide and close the gap. Maintaining her stand with her arms folded. The pressure on Koriand'r was becoming heavy, on one side her sister was slowly advancing and on the other side was komandr's self made crowd that were finally breaking into koriand'r with their one minded taunts.

Finally she acted, Koriand'r charged ahead, letting her altitude rise just slightly above her older sister who in turn fired timed shots, each one missing but to Komand'r that was exactly the point; to lure her sister into her range so she could have her in a range where she could crush her in her own luxury.

Koriand'r came into distance; she fired off some bolts that did little to bother her sister while turning in a fierce circular motion with her presence slightly above Komand'r and brought down her leg in nothing but force. She quickly angled her arms and pushed away the direction of the kick which was parried away but Koriand'r kept in rotation, circling to face her sister and let off close range shots which kept missing as her better merely kept moving back from them.

Koriand'r kept on pursuit and leapt herself in battle once more, delivering head blows hoping for a successful strong contact. Each one was but a breath's distance from contact but Komand'r kept well trained observation upon the coming blows and took pleasure at each evasive move she made added a note of frustration to koraind'r. She kept the frustration on her sister till finally she watched as Koriand'r forced in a right punch. Only this was no ordinary blow, this one was added with ingredients of uncontrolled and recklessness, creating a recipe that Komand't called _'opportunity'_.

Komand'r took a swift duck while turning inwards and made a grab on her sister's arm, she reversed the free following punch inwards to her, she Koriandr's back in front of her but maintained the pull as it tugged back in a stiffing lock that saw Koraind'r cry out in shocjed pain at feeling her shoulder blade twisted to breaking point and her elbow locked so tight that a nudge on either of its side would see bone breeching out of her skin.

"Remember Koriand'r; **I'm** number _one_ and **your** number _two_; **Deal with it**!" After the sneer she lit up her eyes and her free hand with violet glow and shot it directly on the main spot of her sister's back. The light blast forced a cry out of her little sister, triggering a gravitational push upon her, breaking the grip with no tear of flesh and bone but with a pained upper muscle where her shoulder felt stretched to breaking point. Yet no sooner as the grip was broke did Komand'r flew back a bit more before slamming in again, raising out both feet and propelled them into the spot where the blasts were made, the slam curled back Koriandr's body, as she was bending almost to a reverse C shape. Koriandr's yell was incredibly loud in response to the execution of the cruelty. Only Komand'r ignored it well.

"And this is for the Centari cell I had to endure!" She somersaulted perfectly above the younger Tamaran and with both fists joined, sent them down to the stomach of her sister before swinging out one last knuckled strike upon Koriandr's face with only her messed up hair over her face offering some protection against the facial blow. Komand'r watched her victourious assault in motion as her sister fell into the deep pool below triggering a heavy splash that was greeted by joy from the crowd.

"Huh" Muttered Komand'r as she looked at the ripples of the water forming "All to easy"

* * *

Koriand'r woke to found herself emerged in a deep cloak of blue water, she didn't know how deep it was only that her sister was waiting above, readying to deliver another set of punishing blows. She felt her back ache and realised that going ahead on wasn't exactly the victorious promise she had in mind. She felt her breath running short, normally she could last several minutes at least but after a beating and no rest she already needed to breath to get some energy in her.

It was then she had a plan, she accepted for now her sister was superior, but was she as smart as she made herself out to be? Koriand'r decided to find out as she slowly charged two energy bolts carefully in each hand…

* * *

"Why did I have to have the pool to be that deep?" Only barely seconds since her sister fell into the water was she now waiting for her to get out and already felt like an eternity. But why was she caring? Her sister could make any attack she wanted but it would be too weak in her eyes. Her eyes stared with curiosity for a change when she witnessed a green colour, emitting in the depths of the dark waters. Komand'r grinned lilting up her hands.

"Easiest Victory I ever earned"

Her sister was a fool and was going to lose like one as she readied to bombard on the location that was given away when the leaf coloured glows spat out of the waters in a rapid like fire, Komand'r was going to strike only when oddly the blots that were driving out of the sea were being blasted…by their own bolts.

"**HAHAHA!** _**Hellooo**_; Older sister mocking you here, can't you see?!" The green bolts being smashed by their own from behind generated a patch of green bursts of light, masking the view of the sea, nothing could be seen below, which included a fierce Tamaran fighter who shot out of the blind patch and flung to the sky. Komand'r didn't see it of course but then again that was the point, a point she blindly missed.

Her jaw dropped with startled eyes as her sister flew out of the green light and greeted her with a strike that whipped the face severely. The self proclaimed ruler spun madly across the arena, striking one platform which simply tore upon impact, reducing it to a cloud of dust as she kept flying down before coming to a stop upon a second second which didn't brake but shuddered at the crater which bore the evidence of her younger sister's assault. the crowd gasped, this was unprecendented. Komand'r felt the shock drain out of her quickly, she got to her own feet in a desperate manner. Trying to regain control of her balance and get some cheer behind the silenced generated crowd that were suppose to be admiring her while shaking away her pain as best as she can. But she heard something, fire from the air, the sound were bolts and by hearing it alone she shot in the air hoping to avoid them and saw them narrowly miss.

Still getting to what had happened, she only had time to make a quick guess of anticipation and raised her arms to form a wall in front of her face and felt the result of her correctness as her sister went on the offensive, smashing upon her arms with crude but direct blows, Komand'r kept her arms in guard before feeling the wrath of an eye burst sting her arms. Forced to repel to break during the pain she looked up to see her sister crash at her again with arms forward with bolts charged. Komand'r fought with a bold decision and charged her hands but before her lesser fired.

The two collided and grappled, their charged hands executed bolts of their own energy, snaking over them with a viper's sting, burning their skin with electrifying shocks as they were locked by their own powers that had took hold over them. But Komand'r refused to bow and with strength slowly fought back, her violet eyes grew more intense, regaining some strength over her body. Feeling this, she readied in triamph and drove her left knee in a high knock over Koriandr's chest. The knock was strong enough to break the literal deathlock and sent them both drifting back to catch breath and strength while maintaining their dedicated hate upon each other.

"You don't look too good sister, surrender for your own sake. And I mean your own sake"

"…No, you may be stronger, faster and dumber than I, but you will never be the master of me!"

"Oh we'll see; **wait**? Did you just say I'm dumber than you?"

"Oh, I guess I did your highness" Koriand'r said with sarcasm. Now Koriand'r bore for once a confident smirk, now Komand'r was feeling enraged at the arrogant smirk.

"Why so angry sister? You treat everyone like that, why shouldn't I?"

"Because this is why!" Hands and eyes fired at peak of colour. The violet was so dark that it almost was near black, Komand'r cupped out her hands at her sister. Koriand'r recognised this and cloned her sister's actions. The two charged their energy and let fire at each other once more. The two beamed strikes met and struck head on leaving for the audience to witness two different coloured energies pushing against each other, trying to send the other back to their source and overpowering them.

Koriand'r pressed hard, her hands were locked and were enduring roasting heat from her own energy, the amount of concentration she channelled in was tremendous as the overall beam was slowly gathering strength over her sibling adversary. Her heart of pride was forced in, the burden of knowing she got here because of her friend Raven giving her the victory and chance so she could face her old oppressor now was reasoning enough to win this tournament. Yet even with that in mind she felt something horrid in her, all her muscles and endurance were already pushed to their limits. And that was the horror of it, she had achieved her limit but not victory as Komand'r still fought back with her energy realising the force Koriand'r was using on her beam hadn't greatened at all.

"What's this? A limit?" Slowly her side of the beam became stronger and now slowly started to over come Koriandr's strength herself. "Like I said; your just number two" And with that she was forcing her power as the tide cruelly turned against Koriand'r at its own pace.

* * *

Terra was fighting as hard as she could, this creature was not just tough but dam hard as she put it as she summoned out several more destructive rocks down at the being. But the master chanted out that curseful summoning one more time and fired thinned lines of dark matter which looked tipped with a sharp edge; Terra was forced to leap away as her own once platform was sliced where she once stood. Summoning another rock edged platform to ride on she turned to see the master in her sight once more.

"Don't you see? I win, I always wi-ARGH!" Terra stopped in her tracks see the master brought down by something invisible but clearly painful as the master knelt in agony holding his own head in agony.

"..Get out of my head!" A frustrated cry triggered off an enormous amount of dark energy, more than he was able to produce was Terra's evaluation. And for a moment it looked like the fur coated being's eyes lit up red before a sphere of dark energy expanded from him, striking the walls as if a hurricane came and bashed itself around the chamber. Terra saw the tremendous force of the dark sphere head to her, instively she reinforced the platform Hawkgirl was on with more earth while for she who was in the direct path try to out fly it. She out paced the sphere but when it struck the walls, everything shook, walls started to tear with cracks appearing in hundreds of other entrances to rooms. The whole instability of the shockwave at such a close range was too much to bear and too hard to concentrate on. She was stopping rocks and metal from nearly all angles but not all angles as one struck her across the face and fell only to get a hold on one of the cracks that have scaled across the walls. Then a familiar voice called upon her.

"Terra" Said the Master with no emotion in his words "Something is happening to me and though as I can tell you have clearly lost, always know this that your power will make me better and may even strengthen me against this probleemmm" The pain was going through his head once more but barely held it back during his last word. "Farewell fellow champion" with that the gem was activated and Terra was no more, but unknowingly to the master found himself under attack but from a force he did not expect…

* * *

"..Mus.t…hold on, AGH!" Koriand'r concentration was breaking. "...forgive me"

Komand'r laughed at her inevitable triumph as Koriand'r began to weaken and couldn't help but hear a loose opening of words, dedicated it seemed to no other than Raven herself. Komand'r was more then eager to press on her sister's re-appointment with her fallen freind when everything shook and tore with a reason that was beyond the two. The pool turned to waves, the platforms that once hovered collapsed and the stage where her self made supporters laid blanked out of appearance as a dark crack suddenly tore across the sky, leaving an opening unfamiliar to them. Caught by the sudden revelation of this power, the two switched off their powers in natural reaction to the scale that disrupyed their duel. Komand'r was lost for words, but to Koriand'r she had a feeling of who it was.

**"TEERA!"**

"...That little imp did all that?!"

Starfire no longer was listening as all she listened to was the hope of her heart. So hopeful of that hope did she forget about fighting and her sore body, her warlike eyes became dormant, showing her caring side once more as she sped off to the crack to see for herself.

"Hey!" It was no use, Komand'r couldn't get to her sister's naïve head though it amazed her how she can be so dedicated and yet so caring in the end, especially as to leave battle for a friend. Blackfire decided to follow her sister and postpone the fight…till they solved this matter that was. She picked up high speed and followed Starfire out of the crack where her sister thought she something down below and flew shortly only to halt without reason. Blackfire followed and she too saw why. Below them, just in sight of their eyes did they see Terra clinging onto something before being struck by some kind of beam by the master. That was the part that caught her and Starfire's eyes that not did the master struck Terra with the beam but she disappeared in the teleportation that everyone went in and just by connivance they saw him lift some rocks by his hands as if testing a new power. But it was enough to convince them both.

"So, he used us, there was no prize. He used us" That was all that Blackfire could think, to Starfire it meant something more moralistic. It was clear from what they saw that the master took those who lost and some of them were close friends to her, friends like Terra and most of all, Raven.

"He won't get away with this deceit!" Blackfire spoke openly, unable to hold back the fact that SHE could had been in that gem if she lost.

"No he will not!" Starfire agreed with her sister's words, even if Blackfire was on about herself and not of Raven, it was enough to trigger her avenging eyes and her moral outrage and flew straight down to the so called master. Blackfire saw in view her younger sister swooping down and gave her most lethal strike on the being that it sent him falling straight down to the blackness of the pit yet Star followed. Blackfire decided to follow, yet the gem offered her a whole new opportunity, all the more reason to let star fight…

* * *

_**You will not take another!!** _

Those were the only words he heard, the rest he felt, he felt pain beyond words that could be generated by a feeling of despair turned grief which folds to hate as he fell down, the master felt hate but it wasn't by him. He barely halted his fall only to see it was the champion known as Starfire before she quickly struck with two fierce volleys and another hurtling blow which was aimed at the gem but a body turn ensured the gem was safe but his hide suffered a punishing strike as he shot down further. His fall was a straight plummet which only ended when he broke through a structure of a sort and crashed to through ground. For a moment dust scattered everywhere, debris could be heard falling around him. The air was thick with dust as the master coughed his way, crawling out of the dust and finding himself back in his throne room. He couldn't fight anymore; two tyrant blows from the heavens sent him falling and while he couldn't fight Starfire could. The sound of a figure landing down, shaking the ground as she landed and marched without remorseto pick up the master and shove him onto a wall so he could face her and her bolts, her words were harsh to say the least.

"You stole my friends from me; undo the spell or I will undo you!" The threat was genuine "You will bring friend Raven to me, the one who you wrongfully stole from me!" Her arm pointed out with the tip of her finger emitting a glow. The master was looking with tired eyes was about to cave in the demands, but about to was as far as he got when he suddenly yelled once more. The migraine that haunted him returned at a more lethal effect. He cried out in a pain that even worried Starfire and stepped back slightly as the once ruler of this complex turned over himself desperately repeatedly him muscles seem to being pumped up by something from within, his body stretched itself hideously as his fingers clawed more and more just as his voice was becoming more distraught. At the end his screeching came to a stop and was cradled upon the ground hiding his face as he seemed to be coming around.

"..No more games! I do not amuse at this" The master suddenly turned, his appearance shocked Starfire and even terrified her, the master stood deforming large, his skin was overstretched showing that the size he bore was not his own but more forced. But it was the face that disturbed Starfire. Its jaw was bonier, density was thicker and fangs seemed evident instead of his teeth yet it was the eyes, two main eyes were light red with a blood like richness along with two more eyes implanted above the main eyes and just as bloody in colour. Its voice was loud and equally terrifying.

**"HATRED WILL RULE!"** The personality, description and the nature was all too clear to Starfire, her time with Raven brought revelation of this being. She never thought of seeing the day of meeting it and now she was.

"..Trigon" The being smiled upon hearing its name, it made sense to her how it came why Raven meditated. Raven was unique in that only her power brought a curse that if not controlled could act as a gateway to things of consequences and Trigon was one of them. And since the master absorbed Raven he only absorbed her power and not her control which was the crucial part overall. But Starfire refused to be back down from the towering creature.

"You **_will_** let go of Raven and my friends!" Trigon smiled amusement at the threat.

**"NEVER!"** Starfire heard the taunt, her fear became reality but she would not accept it, she refused to accept any loss. Raven, Terra will both be gone if she inacted and Starfire refused to see Robin, Beastboy and Cyborg grieve as well. She will not have her friends torn away from her once more, she will not have it like the future she once saw when taken by warp. She made her vow clear when her eyes embraced the darker colour of her aggression.

**"YES YOU WILL!"** She vowed, she made many vows in the past but this one was different as this vow came with a tear from her eyes as she jumped forward firing shedding out any bolt of force, Trigon blocked with its stronger arms and saw its opponent fly at him as he countered by raising a shield of dark mass. Starfire came in with a punch as it dug in hard into the field yet not directly threw. The shield was powerful as the Tamaran princess slowly dug her fist through the thickness of the matter hoping to tear through it and reach the gem, but the field was getting stronger and stronger upon each walking step till…

**"NO!"**

It was an agonised cry from Starfire as she felt the strength she opposed overcome her as its weight of strength was simply too strong. The pressure inflicted over her body was too much to fight against, especially as her fist was near braking point of the field as it overcame her and flung her out, skidding across the surface. Looking up, her eyes despaired at seeing the monster gloat, it than focused on its shield and suddenly it started to expand, spreading outwards across the throne room.

Star took a retreating stand and held out her arms and fired a beam, a strong beam of her power or whatever there was she could gather. It struck a particular part in front of her. It was clear that Trigon was spreading the field to crush but if it was expanding than it must be thinning out, so she concentrated hard.

"**YOU CANNOT BREAK HATE!**"

The field was spreading dangerously close, she needed to succeed now ir she will not find space left and already she felt her limit as it is. The field was still expanding and she couldn't tear it, her body ached as it is she couldn't go any further, her fingers were already sore and blistered and health bruised. The temptation to yield to her pain felt comforting in a way, saving herself from fighting anymore yet only to feel dejection and defeat. But though it was a temptation to her it still felt wrong to her after all she saw and been through: Like Cyborg overcoming Atlas, Beastboy giving wisdom to two demi gods that helped save a city, Raven overcoming her father Trigon, Robin defeating Slade. Herself believing that Robin could be saved from Slade, finding herself able to stand up to her sister at long last. The more she thought about it, the more she realised what she faced did not matter, she was a Titan and like any true Titan you dealt with the impossible and turned it to the possible which was turning defeat into victory. And she vowed to, not because she was a Tamaran or that she was Starfire but because she was a Titan and she would prove it now by turning her defeat to a victory for all.

"No, I cannot break hate, **BUT YOU I WILL BREAK YOU!**" Pushing her heart and mind into it she concentrated her energy from both hand and eye and pushed harder on her target point, she drove into the field, further than she imagined yet she continued without anymore care and just yelled and yelled till finally the field shuddered, it withdrew slightly and than dispelled itself from the air. Trigon looked astonished but the young Tamaran ran forward, wanting to end this madness once and for all, the demon reacted, pulling out the other powers it had in store, earth came sprouting out to try and crush her. But Star was evading quickly and without care, leaping and rolling past each obstacle while letting out a hard hitting eye beam that stung the upper chest of the being, pitifully weak but still startled it. Trigon hissed and pulled back shortly, still firing earth but star kept blasting each part away with aggression and desperation. Rocks were circulating around the area but star kept her fury on pounding the possessed master of games with enough firepower to give him barely enough time to perform small summoning.

Dust and quakes were becoming all the more frequent, the visibility was becoming less seeable and Trigon had enough of this earth power and set off to using the explosive batarngs enhanced with his power shot blindly but destructively adding flame for flavour in the room. Starfire eventually leapt out of the dust and fired in her final breath of energy strikes that hit one of the projectiles, screeching out a ball of furious flame, temporarily blocked both Trigon and Starfire away from each other. Only the Tamaran took the risk and leapt high over with any remaining flight in her, flying through the heat and flames as it briefly brushed her upon till she was seen out with a fist raised. The giant Trigon stood slightly paused in obsering this unusual bahviour as it never expecting such fury, coming from one who was seemed so timid. Starfire saw her enemy and smashed him with a fist charged with little of her inner power left and returned a second strike. Both of them did little but tilt the creature's face before it lunged its clawed hands and vice round her neck which made the young star yelp at the sheer strength of its grip. It was far from happy.

"**FOOL! I CANNOT** **BREAK! YOU CANNOT BREAK ME**"

"..true-" admitted Star with a pained wheeze of her air being cut short to near death "..however-" She held a object in red that terrified Trigon on sight, realising it was taken from his neck. "-this can"

"**NOOO!**"

With her last strength, Starfire add a strong crack to the gem, it sparked out a strong glimmer of light before ripping out a force that flung both Starfire and Trigon away, the rest was blackness for what felt like a while before she opened her eyes. several repetive blinks finally stregthened her eyes before seeing in front of her, wonderwoman and Jinx. But more importantly Terra and Raven, her two friends who seem to lay like the others peacefully and with Raven slowly moving slightly in an attempt to wake themselves out of their drugged sleep having feel their powers drained. Starfire smiled at knowing her friends are still with her again, eradicating any fear of that future she once saw..

"..Well done champion"

Starfire tilted her head slowly to see the master gazing at the gem that laid at the centre of the room. He looked quiet, star couldn't much strength in her legs and so pushed herself across the floor slowly to try and get a better hearing of the master. Seeing him tired and defeated with having to cope with a exorcist creature called Trigon, Starfire actually felt sorry for him, even for what he had done in the past. Was it forgiveness or gullibility? She did not know in fact it wasn't her concern right now. __

"...Well done and thank you" With that the master just vanished, gone without knowing where, Starfire finally sighed and let her head sink down as it was finally over.

"Excellent work sister"

Starfire froze upon hearing that voice as it continued to gloat.

"Really, I couldn't had better myself…well actually I could"

"...Blackfire"

Starfire finally looked up to see her better of a sister standing triumphant, clearly in better health, she strode in the room looking around everyone, looking at how wasted they are and mocking them for it before finally turning her attention to her sister and the gem.

"Ah, the gem, takes power and or could teleport you wherever you desire, a great tool, though not as great as you have been"

"..You used me? Betrayed me? How could you?" The words of anger were still there but Starfire had not the strength or the voice to show it as she would had liked to.

"How _could_ I? Don't you mean how could I _not_? Don't be so surprised dear sister, after all it's what I do" She walked to Star and gave a little tap in the ribs, but it was painful enough for her to feel it, she laughed at star's weakness before turning to the gem, only it was gone.

"Wha- the?" Then her eyes noticed someone was missing from the group but a voice from behind alerted her coldly.

"Back away now Deadfire" Blackfire chuckled; she didn't even need to turn round to know who the voice was from.

"A depressant like you having friends? Goes against Goth rule doesn't it Raven?" She turned looking at what she considered the midget before her. "How about you give me my gem before I give you an early grave; sound good enough for you?"

"I had better offers, now step away from Starfire and give yourself in"

"Can't somehow imagine you being a threat"

"And that is why you never win; you cannot see beyond the reflection of those you face."

"And you can?"

"That and more" Her eyes naturally drifted to Terra, the young girl was lying peacefully but she knew something was growing from her, she could sense it. Her eyes than rolled to contact to Blackfire and spoke coldly "I can also see and read you well. You will fall in the night"

"I am terrified by the cryptic curse of vagueness you bring upon me; don't make me laugh! **You** have no power over **me!**"

"And as I said before _'that is why you never win'_ "

Suddenly the room flickered into night, the Tamaran royal looked round confused at what was going on but still kept her sprit high.

"Oh what's next? _Goosebumps_?"

Blackfire's jaw dropped wide when the darkness suddenly brushed past her and twisted and grew in shape to a large bird that spread out its bat-like wings and hissed terribly as it dwarfed Blackfire. So sudden and swift, how a mere human could wrap itself in a element and form that brought out a being raised in darkness was terrifying enough as it folded to a somewhat demonic shape. Unexpectedly Blackfire found herself trembling backwards before the being descended upon her. Gulfing her in pitch black, spinning round Blackfire, the darkness smothered any responses she made. But when the shape withdrew and became Raven once more, Blackfire was left standing with eyes in wide astonishment with her skin cold and trembling, a fire with no heat or strength left. raven wondered if Coldfire would be a more suitable name

"..so dark, so dark" She than fell to the ground and blacked out. Raven looked upon her friend Starfire who was still lying on the ground, she looked at Blackfire first, concerned out of nature given that they were tied by blood but Raven reassured her. "Don't worry I haven't done anything harmful to her"

"Thank you" Despite their difference in values both Raven and Starfire seem to see past the reflection of others, only the choose how to react to it.

Raven shrugged to the gratitude before sitting onto the floor to rest, tired she was of using her power she was grateful that Blackfire was less secured than she made herself to be. She took in of all that had happened, so much it was and living your life stuck in a gem has to count somewhere for unusual travel locations. She had a look at star to note that it seemed to be more of a case of simple tiredness to why she was lying down.

"Your legs, are they-"

"Not quite, more my back then anything" Raven didn't miss the tears that were rubbing down star's bruised cheeks.

"You really missed me haven't you?"

"I already saw a future where we had parted, I had no desire of seeing ourselves face that future again" Then Starfire's face smiled warmly. "But I know that you too miss me as much" Raven looked on strangely till she noticed a gentle stream of a tear roll down her cheek, realising it she rubbed it off quickly, not wanting anyone to see but Starfire chuckled softly.

"Don't worry I won't tell"

"You better not" Muttered Raven mockingly with a half smile, but she dreaded to know how beast boy would react; already she was formulating possible solutions to that scenario.

"Also" Raven added giving one last look round the room. "Don't tell anyone this as well" Raven helped Starfire pick herself up slightly only so she can do something that she has never done before, where Starfire did on a daily basis. Raven wrapped her arms around star and hugged her tightly and muttered something that Starfire was sure sounded like _'Thank You'_

The End

* * *

ANII: Hoped you like it, yes it was pretty much a Starfire fic but I do get the impression that a scenario would had happened if they showed it on the TV episodes. I'm actually happy how I did the ending and have to say I was inspired by Instant Coffee's last review on Raven's motives as it gave me inspiration for the ending.

Note on Raven: She seemed a bit ruthless to how she delt with Blackfire, but as i said before raven is the polar opposite to starfire whereas starfire is prepared to go melee at the end, raven will go equally devestating on first sign of feeling annoyed. And believe me Raven is a lot more violent at times. Dropping an oil tanker on Terra in aftershock part II for example? I doubt that was intended to knock Terra out

As for the Starfire V Blackfire battle; I think that was the best fight I've done for quite a while and is somthing that readers wanting to read for sometime. The fight does seem to be aggressive but than so is Robin V Slade and I have bordered it similir to Dragon Ball Z fight as a lot of things from teen titans to starfire firing her blasts are quite DBZ related. Espacilly with Terra becoming stone in Aftershock part II as what Terra did is a direct copy of what Vegeta did in 'Final Attonment'

Oh well stay tuned for the last chapter…the epilogue!

Reviews are welcome as usual.


End file.
